Die
by Kiki Yushima
Summary: Compilation of Team STRQ oneshots/miniarcs so as to not spam the story feed. Alternate Universe. Newest entry indicated by a dash at the end of the chapter title. Where did it go? / Our peaceful youth, / Seems to be gone forever.
1. The Beginning - May 2135

Just a few things before letting you get on reading.

First off, know that I started writing this after V5 finished but before V6 started, so any plot threads introduced post-V5 in the show proper are irrelevant to this compilation. (This is just in case anybody finds this compilation in the future)

Second is the fact this is a compilation of oneshots written completely out of chronological order. For the most part, these are written when inspiration strikes me. There may end up being some contradictions because of this. My views and interpretations of the characters are still evolving as I learn about them.

There may be passing mentions of dates in here. The year system I came up with is arbitrary. I just wanted something concrete to work with for organisational purposes in preplanning/plotting things.

Also I apologise if I'm not writing Ozpin correctly in this. He's just such a difficult character to grasp for me personally so…

* * *

Summer's back pressed to the wall and she trembled as she gripped her backpack. The police circled around her and she swallowed. "Give back what you've stolen and we'll go light on your sentence." She shook her head, silver eyes wide. She hadn't stolen anything! She'd bought all of it with the money she'd earned! She'd been framed again!

"Now gentlemen, I believe there's been a misunderstanding here." Summer's gaze snapped to the unfamiliar voice and a man with silver-streaked black hair approached. The police looked at each other and parted as he walked through them. She kept her gaze trained on him, throat tight. Nobody had ever defended her before. What did this man want? He had to have some sort of ulterior motive; nobody ever helped anybody without something to gain for themselves.

"Young lady, you didn't steal that, did you?" Summer shook her head and fished into the pocket that contained her receipts. May 1235… She thumbed through them and found the one from just a few hours ago, offering it to the man with trembling hand. She held the very edge of the slip with her fingers, willing he wouldn't make contact with her. Unfortunately, with as short as the slip of paper was, he did and she flinched. His eyebrows raised but he didn't back away. What? But everyone freaked out because of her Semblance…

The man walked over to the cops and spoke with them for awhile. Eventually, they left and he returned, a faint bun unreadable smile on his lips. He returned the receipt to her and, again, their fingers brushed. The smile simply grew a little and he looked at her over top of his glasses. "That's quite the interesting Semblance you have, miss. Have you ever considered enrolling in Beacon Academy?"

Summer just stared at the man. Who was he to be asking if she'd enroll in Beacon? It wasn't like she had the knowhow or ability to become a Huntress! Plus, it was way out of her price range. She was lucky to scrape ten lien together in a week for food. Fund even a day at Beacon would be impossible! And she didn't want to hurt anybody…

The man simply continued to smile and pulled away from her, pushing his glasses up. He offered her a business card and her eyes widened. Headmaster Ozpin?! What in the gods' names…?! Why was he intervening here? She was just some random street urchin, not anybody important! There had to be people more deserving than her. And it wasn't like she had any ability or predisposition to fight.

"Would you like to attend Beacon? It wouldn't be hard to get you in. If you'd like a little time to consider my offer, the new year begins on June the first." She stared at the card in his hand before looking up at him. Why? Why her? Nothing about this made any sense… She didn't understand. She didn't want to stay on the streets but the possibility of hurting someone… But a bed and consistent food and…

She looked up at him with wide eyes, a lump in her throat as she nodded. It was a hard choice even in the moment. Twelve years on the streets was too much. She didn't know how much longer she could stand this. The last winter had killed dozens with as cold as it'd been and only her knowhow had kept her alive. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to survive another one like that, though. The summer was already shaping up to be a scorcher which almost always meant a lethally cold winter to follow.

Ozpin's smile only grew further and he made a motion toward her. "You can speak to me without fear. What's your name?" His tone implied he already knew—not surprising, given his talk with the police, but still she hesitated. He had already felt the full brunt of her emotions when making contact with her, but still…

He continued to smile and she let out a breath, voice shaking. "I-I'm Summer Rose, sir. T-Thank you for what you did…" Her voice was a bit rough and cracked due to severe disuse, but it still carried a girlish pitch that dusted her cheeks with pink. She knew he could feel the trepidation, distrust, and fear, but he made no visible signs of the massive flood she forced on him. Beacon headmaster or not, he should have shown something. After all of the research she'd done at the public library, she'd discovered her sort of Semblance seemed to be unheard of. So how…? Why…?

"I have encountered many things over my life, Miss Rose; your curious Semblance is but one of many." He smiled again and she flipped the hood of her too-small hoodie, trying to hide her reddening cheeks. He simply chuckled and straightened up, starting to walk. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and followed behind him, falling silent as he led her to a small café. It sat empty of patrons oddly and she settled across from him, scanning his face.

She didn't like his face. She couldn't get a read on his mood. Even if she couldn't feel other people's emotions, she could still read people well. She didn't like this. Someone like him was dangerous. He was controlled and control almost always meant thinking. Thinking meant planning and planning meant motives. Just what was going through his head? She narrowed her eyes and he just chuckled in response, look at her over top his glasses.

"Your silver eyes are quite interesting, Miss Rose. They're very expressive." The waiter walked over and started with drinks (she just mimed for water) and Ozpin spoke as they looked over the menu.

"I can tell you're quite sharp, Miss Rose. Your eyes show you're asking questions and, if I'm correct, then they're the right sort." He interlaced his fingers and rested hem in front of his mouth. Summer could tell he sensed the distrust rolling off her, but it wasn't like she was exactly trying to hide it. Just what was he getting at? What was with the focus on her eyes? They were an unusual color, yes, but what did that have to do with anything?

Ozpin stirred a bit of sugar into his coffee after the waiter sat it down and she held the man's gaze. It was ancient, timeless, beyond what any human should have seen. In some respects, it scared her, but she refused to look away. Only him blinking got her to return her attention to the menu. It was hard to choose when she was so used to not eating for weeks at a time…

"You are quite astute, Miss Rose. I really do believe you'll thrive at Beacon." He took a sip of his coffee and she looked back at him, eyes narrow. He gave her that mysterious smile again. "As to why, I have my reasons, but I trust you'll find them on your own in time. Your Semblance gives ou a unique perspective on other people many don't have." Oh the cryptic riddles were going to be annoying, weren't they? They were already maddening and she'd barely known the man fifteen minutes. At least he was being honest about his ulterior motives. She had a feeling he normally wouldn't be so transparent, but she'd forced him into a bit of a corner.

"So you want me to attend, but I have no background in Hunter training or even academics. What do you propose to remedy this situation?" Summer folded her arms, looking at Ozpin seriously. She had the survival skills to be a roving Huntress, that was for sure, but everything else? She didn't know a damn thing about Grimm, kingdom law, combat, or anything of the sort. The most she knew about was Semblances for obvious reasons.

Of course, that received another faint chuckle, but his gaze was steady and serious. "A teacher just recently retired from Beacon and is feeling the strain of not having a job any longer. I believe this might be a good fit." Summer continued to stare, but she gave a faint nod. Well, at least she wouldn't be staying with the headmaster himself. At the moment, she could barely stand to be around him, so it was a blessing. At least it finally meant an end to her days on the streets…


	2. Setting the Ground p1 - May 2135

The car door clicked as Summer closed it and she looked at the house. It was a tiny, one-story thing with plants growing up and around the walls. It looked like something out of a fairytale and reminded her of how one might describe the wizard's house after the Spring Maiden had finished with it. She glanced at Ozpin who nodded and led her to the door, making her grip her backpack straps with white knuckles. He rang the doorbell and her throat stuck.

It took only a few moments for a woman with dark, faded blue hair to answer. Wrinkles lined her face, but her bright blue eyes glimmered when she saw Ozpin. "Oh, Oz! I can't say I was expecting company today. What brings you here?" Summer pulled her hood down, letting her hands rest in the front pocket as she tried to shrink into the shadows als always.

Ozpin and the woman spoke in a language she couldn't recognise—it wasn't one of the four major ones, so maybe some obscure tribe? But she had a notable Valian accent so…?

She saw a look of surprise pass over the woman's face but she nodded before giving a Summer. "I'm Persia Kersey. Why don't you come on in, Summer? I've seen more than a few battles, so it's no worry." She rolled one sleeve up a little and Summer couldn't stop herself from staring.

Scars latticed her arms, some like fine spider webs, others gouges that made her question how the woman had kept her limbs.

No wonder Ozpin had chosen her to be her teacher.

Ozpin gave a faint smile and walked over to Summer, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Persia was one of the finest teachers Beacon has known from her experiences. Learn well from her and you will go far, Miss Rose." The words were just loud enough for her to hear and he released her, returning to his car a moment later.

Summer just looked up at the woman, her eyes barely visible beneath her hood. Persia smiled and beckoned her inside. After steeling herself, Summer walked inside and couldn't help but smile a bit. It was decorated sparsely but comfortably with plants everywhere. The scent of dirt and water hit the back of her throat, but it was a welcome change from wet cement and broken booze bottles.

Summer pulled her hood down and sat at the table. Persia headed into the kitchen and placed a few chocolate chip cookies in front of her, blinking up at the woman. "Oz said you ate at the café, but with your Semblance being constantly active, I imagine you're almost always hungry.

Summer just nodded, unable to deny the point. The small meal had filled her, but talking more in the car with Ozpin had more or less drained it away. She had very little tolerance for such extended use. She offered Persia a grateful smile and downed the small snack.

Afterward, the sharp blue eyes focused on her and she shifted a bit, pressing her lips into a tight, thin line. "Summer, what do you know about combat?" She couldn't say the question surprised her, but still… She flipped her hood up, gaze glued to the table.

Nothing really… I mean… I can pickpocket and hit a few pressure points, but… I really don't like the thought of hurting others…" Her voice and body shook as she gripped her arms. She really didn't want to go to Beacon and learn to fight since it meant she'd have to fight other people. She knew sparring was an integral part of becoming a Huntress, but she didn't even want to become one. She'd mind crushed people more than once with her Semblance in a fit of fear and panic. She'd felt her own psyche completely crush theirs and it remained something that kept her awake more than a few nights.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced up at Persia, feeling a bit of the weight release when she saw the woman's smile. "I understand not wanting to hurt others, dear. Before the war, my tribe were avowed pacifists save against Grimm. Unfortunately, we had little choice but to take up arms." Summer felt her heart freeze, but Persia's expression remained pleasant. "It's okay to not want to hurt others, but sometimes, you need to fight—to protect yourself or what you hold dear."

Summer looked back down at the latter statement. She didn't have anyone or anything to fight for. She only fought day to day for survival and had never had anything to protect. The absence had long ago opened an abyss in her her chest, but she'd grown used to the numbness. Hearing it so openly, though, just ripped the old wound open again and all she could do was pull her knees into her chest. She wasn't cut out to be a Huntress and she knew it. She was just in this for a bed and easy meal ticket for the next four years.

Persia ruffled her hood and she could hear the smile in her voice. "You'll find something you wish to protect with all your heart someday, dear. I promise."

* * *

This is admittedly not one of my better pieces, but I'm coming off having a cold. I wanted to try my hand at writing something since I've been going absolutely insane not being able to do so. Anyway, this will be the first of a couple chapters focusing around Summer and Persia. I was going to make it just one long one, but after I stopped where I did, I decided to give it a couple since Persia's an interesting character and I want to see more of her.


	3. Setting The Ground p2

So this part is kind of mundane, but it addresses a few points about Summer I might not get to hit on in detail otherwise, namely her Huntress outfit and weapon. Plus, the point of this mini arc is to show Summer's beginnings as a Beacon student as the title suggests. What's more fundamental than getting her weapon and Huntress outfit created?

* * *

Summer sighed as she looked out the window, watching as apartments and suburbs gave way to large manors and high-security stores. The past few hours had been a little rough, what with Persia taking her to get new clothes. She was not used to this level of attention, but the woman had the good sense to keep conversation to a minimum. Plus, they'd at least gone to the thrift shop she frequented due to the kind people.

But now…

The car stopped and Summer took in a breath, flipping her hood up, shoulders hunched as she followed Persia inside the store. It bisected into a clothing shop and what resembled a forge. She'd never stepped foot inside a Hunter shop, so the juxtaposition was beyond strange. It was even stranger with the outfit displays. Everything from more mundane, practical pants and shirts to highly impractical skirts with excessive frills. Even heels. Heels! How did anybody fight in those damn lady stilts?!

With a snort, she turned her attention from the bizarre clothing section and back to Persia. She spoke with a woman in hushed tones who nodded every so often before they both approached. "Summer, this is Scarlet. She's one of the best Hunter tailors I've met. She'll help you get set up with your outfit." Persia smiled and Summer wrinkled her nose. Why did Hunters have such outrageous outfits? It didn't make any sense to her. Pants and shirts sufficed just fine! The world she was entering made no sense, but she'd just have to grin and bear it. Maybe she could pick up some non-Hunter skills at Beacon and not have to enter this bizarre world after graduation…

She glanced at Persia, then Scarlet who smiled. "Don't worry, Miss Rose; Headmaster Ozpin called ahead of time and told us someone with a unique Semblance was coming in. Then Persia told me what it was." Well, it certain explained why the shop was empty when it like shouldn't have been. But she nodded and took in a deep breath as Scarlet withdrew a notebook.

"How would you describe your personality?" Summer looked down as she thought. It was difficult for her to quantify exactly as she hadn't interacted with people very much. That was how most people figured things out, right? Well, if nothing else, she knew how she approached things, so that was a start.

"I don't like conflict and tend to hide in the shadows. I hate drawing attention to myself. If I have to stand my ground, I will as a last resort. I grew up on the streets, so I see most things in the outfits here as excessive." She winced as Scarlet blinked from her Semblance's assault, but she nodded, scribbling in the small notebook. Summer could easily see the gears turning in her head and could only wonder what she was thinking. Could she really come up with an outfit from scratch from just four sentences? If she could, she'd be more than a little impressed.

After a few more moments of feverish writing, Scarlet put the notebook away and grabbed Summer's hand, leading her to a raised platform surrounded by mirrors. "Could you remove your hoodie, please? It'll be difficult to get the proper measurements with it on." Summer felt the color leave her cheeks but capitulated, closing her eyes. She heard a soft intake of breath from Persia and she felt more blood drain away. She was well aware of just how skinny she was, hence the year-round hoodie.

Scarlet kept the session mercifully short and Summer hopped off the podium, pulling her hoodie back on. Persia led her over to the forge where an identical woman met them. Identical twins always creeped her out. Damn doppelgangers. Regardless, the woman smiled at her warmly. "I'm Cinnabar, but you can just call me Sina. I heard what you said to my sister, but I'll need a little more information to get ideas for your weapon." She scratched her cheek and Summer could tell she wasn't too enthused about the endeavour. Making a weapon for someone that fought as only a last resort. Not the easiest task.

"What else do you want?" It was just far too open ended to be helpful for her.

"I guess your Semblance is a good place to start. Do you know how it works exactly?" Summer nodded and she could see the clear relief on Sina's face.

"Well, you can already feel the passive effects of it, but the intentional ones are devastating. I can make people feel what I want them to with a word or music. I find music a lot easier to work with in that regard." Despite everything, Summer had learned a great deal about music. She'd invested as much time as possible at the library learning about theory and studying different genres. It worked well with her Semblance since she could focus on the notes coming out of her mouth rather than worrying over everything else. She had far too many songs locked in her head with nasty effects to inflict on people. It ranged from sorrow to complete psyche destruction. She rarely used them, but when she did…

Sina nodded and cupped her chin, again allowing Summer to see the gears turning in her head. "It'll be a huge rush job, but I think I have an idea I can get done in a week and a half." Summer nodded, her throat tight. A Hunter-level weapon in a week and a half? It sounded impossible, but if Ozpin and Persia held the sisters in high regard, there had to be good reason.

"I was thinking a lyre as the base form, but you can shift it over to a sniper rifle for range with a half staff that can fold out into a short spear for melee." Summer's eyebrows shot up as she buried her hands in her hoodie pocket. All of that just from hearing her talk about herself? Well, it sounded like it'd be a pretty good fit for her. It'd even let her use it outside of combat for singing. But she nodded and Sina smiled, offering a bow before heading to the forge.

Scarlet approached again, buried in an armload of dark, mottled fabric. The greens and greys almost consumed her and Summer smiled a bit. Yes, that fit her perfectly. Scarlet flashed a return smile as she dropped the materials on the nearby counter. "Well, good to see you approve of my idea. Do you have a preference for urban or wild?"

"I'm used to urban environments, but I'll be going into the wilds a bit in Beacon. So… Could you make them reversible?" She knew it was strange, but it made sense. Coming from an urban environment to wilderness would be important if, by some unlikely chance, she did become a Huntress by choice. It might even be needed if she took on missions in the upper years. There was no real telling what Beacon would throw at her…

Scarlet just nodded, letting out a faint hum of affirmation. "Feel free to look around the displays to see if there's anything you'd like added. Nothing but simple pants, shirts, and a coat or two here." Summer just breathed a sigh of relief. She could imagine wearing one of those damnable 'combat skirts.' She knew and cared fuckall about clothing especially extravagant stuff like this. She just didn't understand the need for such showmanship. Hunters provided a necessary service for the kingdoms; they didn't belong to a circus.

She stopped at a corner, though, seeing a sample cloak resting on it. Somehow, dust speckled the white fabric, the mannequin itself tucked behind another one. It looked long forgotten and she couldn't help but pull it off the display. The weight felt just right in her hands and she could couldn't stop herself from smiling a little. Mottled grey camouflage lined the inside. She couldn't help but clip it around her shoulders and laughed a little as the overlarge hood fell over her face. It was clearly made for someone at least three inches taller with the way it swept around her ankles, but it just felt right.

She headed back over to the counter and flipped the hood down, a warm smile on her face. "So you want to add a cloak? THey're about fifteen years out of style due to being so restrictive on movement. I have to warn you of—"

"I want this one and I think I can survive." The thing was overlarge, sure, but it would go a long way. It was a hell of a lot better than the hoodie with the the white being so visible and the hood so large. It'd act as a very clear marker if she was feeling chatty or not and it'd hide some of her movements. Plus, she could blind an opponent by flaring it up and out. It'd be risk to wear, but it just felt right.

Scarlet side eyed her but nodded. "If you're certain… I can give an eight percent discount. Not sure how I missed it, but I did." Summer just smiled and nodded as she flipped the hood back up. She was on the road to becoming a Huntress…even if she wasn't terribly happy about it.


	4. Setting the Ground p3

This is a short and mundane but very important part even if it doesn't seem like it now.

* * *

Summer rested her head against the window as she started at the technology store. Why were they there? She didn't need any sort of technology. She'd gotten on fine for the better part of twelve years without it. Sure, she used the computers at the public library a lot, but she didn't depend on them for survival. Plus, there was no telling how many thousands of lien Persia had blown through in order to buy her weapon and custom Huntress outfit.

The woman put a hand on Summer's shoulder and she looked at her. With a sigh, she followed her into the store. It was even more alien than the Hunter store and felt more akin to a hospital than a, well, store. Minimal, sleek white surrounded her and she shivered, flipping her hood up as she looked at Persia. "Trust me when I say you'll need a scroll. Even if you don't become a Huntress, you'll still need to keep in contact with your teammates." Summer hung her head and flipped her hood back up, letting out a noise of annoyance. This was going to be awful.

It didn't take long for a salesman to walk over and start talking with Persia. Specs, accessories, and other topics filtered around her consciousness and she tuned it out the best she could. She didn't know the first damn thing about technology, so it was all Atlassian to her. Processors, pixels, streaming quality… Whatever it was, she didn't give a damn. But she couldn't voice her annoyance, so all she could do was stalk behind Persia and the salesman, hands buried in her hoodie pocket.

At least the cloak brought her some measure of comfort.

The salesman handed her several demo models and she fiddled with them, at a loss of what she was doing. Persia didn't seem happy with any of them, but they passed a small section made specifically for photography. Summer blinked as they passed it, tugging at Persia's sleeve. The woman and salesmen followed her gaze and the man led them to the case as she pointed at one model that grabbed her attention in particular.

"Oh, this one's a nice one. It came out just a month ago and has the best camera currently on the market. Unlike many others, it's also highly customisable. Would you like to see it?" Summer nodded and the man pulled out another demo model from behind the counter.

Summer still had no idea what she was doing, but she flipped the camera app open. The amount of options made her stare in awe. It might not be able to fully compare to a true camera, but it'd be more than enough for her. She knew she'd need to review training sessions in order to get better, so might as well do it with the best tools available to her. She'd be at Beacon for for years for free, so she had no plans to slack off.

She looked at Persia and flipped her hood down, giving a small nod as she returned the thing to the salesman. Persia smiled and turned to him. "We'll need a laptop with video-editing software to match." Summer flipped her hood back up with an internal sigh. This hell day of shopping would never end, would it?


	5. Setting the Ground p4

Summer groaned and collapsed on the couch, curling up in the overlarge cloak. What an awful day. She was not used to being the center of attention like that; she as supposed to be a silent shadow nobody noticed. Well, mobsters had taken notice of her Semblance and tried to capture her more than once. It was to the point of the Torchwick family codenamed her Shadow. That was attention she could deal with since she could get out of it?

But that?

She was glad the hell day of shopping had finally ended. She knew Persia would continue to give her attention but at least it'd be in the house and out out in public.

* * *

Her eyes snapped open when she felt someone sit next to her on the couch.

What—

Oh, right.

She sat up, flipping the hood back as Persia smiled and placed a tray on her lap. It was a small, simple meal. When was the last time she'd actually had one? She really had no idea. Yean, Ozpin had treated her in the café, but that was different. This… This was homemade and not something she'd had in around twelve years. She offered Persia a gracious smile before digging in.

She finished quickly and sat the tray on the side table, blinking when the woman slid a sketchbook and box of assorted coloring utensils into her lap. "What—"

Persia's gentle smile quieted as she flipped the sketchbook open. A number of strange symbols and emblems lined the pages. Some were expertly done, others far more crude. Most had many variations with one circled or otherwise marked. What were these…?

The woman just chuckled a little. "Summer, one thing you'll need to do before long is come up with a personal emblem. Every Hunter has one." Summer's eyebrows drew together and Persia continued before she could speak. "I can already tell you have a very no-nonsense attitude and much of this won't seem to follow your logic. Tell me what you know about the Great War."

Summer froze at the sudden question. PErsia was a veteran and she didn't want to seem disrespectful or ignorant. Unfortunately, she really didn't know much because history had never interested her much. All she could do was bow her head and sigh, closing her eyes. "…Not much. All I really know is that it was the worst one in recorded history and that it led to the foundation of the Hunter Academies." She hated admitting it, but she had no choice.

Persia just placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look up. A gentle smile and twinkling eyes met her. "It's quite all right; you haven't had the opportunity _to_ learn. But the short version is that it was fought to create opportunity for individuality. The trend of naming children after colors got its start in the years following so that people would never forget." Summer's eyebrows lifted as she looked at Persia. Wasn't her a name a reference to that shade of blue…?

The woman's mouth twitched and she nodded. "My name was Kendra before, but I wanted to follow the new tradition as well as remember my tribe, but I digress.

"With the founding of the Academies and creation of Hunters, keeping track of everybody was hard. Things like the CCTS didn't exist until about fifteen years following the conclusion and they needed a way to easily identify Hunters, so it quickly became a standard to create a unique, easy-to-identify personal symbol.

"It has a few reasons. The first is a practical one. Every symbol is put into a central database and can easily be looked up. If you're found dead in the field without any other means of identification, it can be used as a last resort." Summer felt a chill go up her spine at the reminder. She might die before she even turned twenty-one. Then again, she'd already had her fair share of near-death experiences so… She just nodded for Persia to continue.

"The second, of course, is the legacy of the War. Most have forgotten by now the origins of the tradition and thing it just something fun to do. But it's a way to remember how Mantle tried to suppress art and individuality. It won't let anybody forget what we fought and laid our lives down for." PErsia's eyes clouded over and Summer remained silent. Just how hellacious had the war been? She couldn't even imagine if that was the reasoning for it in the first place… She'd definitely look into it more now that she knew. Even _her_ name followed the typical trend, though not everybody did…

She looked over at the older whom who had recovered her smile. "I'm not an artist, though; I'm a musician." well, it wasn't a lie. She couldn't design for shit and had no ideas. She'd probably need someone else to do it for her like Sina had with her weapon…

Persia just patted her head and she leaned into the gesture. "You'll figure it out in time, dear. Look through the sketchbook to get ideas; it's why I gave it to you. Now why don't you go to bed? It was a long day and I'm sure you're still exhausted. Second door on the right upstairs." Summer gave a small nod and headed for the stairs. Would she be able to think of something? It felt so impossible. She was unwelcome visitor to an alien world where she didn't belong…


	6. Make New Friends - June 2135

The title is a cheesy invocation of the old song "Make new friends / But keep the old / One is silver and the other's gold." I was a Girl Scout as a kid and it's stuck with me the whole time. But I think it fits.

* * *

Summer took in a breath and prepared herself, a bead of sweat rolling down her temple. The past several weeks of preparation would come full circle and hopefully reap the rewards she'd worked so hard to obtain. She still wasn't fond of fighting, but it had gotten her off the streets; she wasn't about to betray Ozpin's support. She didn't trust the man but…

Her cloak flared out around her like wings and tears stung her eyes from the wind. Taking the angle and velocity she'd been launched at, it wasn't difficult for her to shift and grabe a passing branch with Battaglia's blade. It slow her momentum just enough that she gained footing on the thin strip of wood.

She found her way down to the ground with practiced ease and pulled her hood down. She heard the cadence of nature, but her silver eyes eyes remained alert. At the moment, it would be her only saving graces sine her skills were paltry at best. And so she moved through the forest silently, holding Battaglia in its lyre form. It didn't take long for several Grimm to find her, but the song she played suppressed her emotions and confused the creatures, making it impossible for them to find her.

She tensed when she sensed a shift in the atmosphere, then rolled to the side, a crack of thunder sounding. The Grimm howled and the the three Beowulves dissipated into black smoke. Summer lifted her hood up as she peered out from the bush she'd landed in. A girl clad in green and black with a bizarre sword sheath stood there. A red ribbon held her black, complimenting her striking crimson eyes. She returned the weapon to its sheath and a red blade replaced the formerly yellow one. Dust blades in a revolving chamber…? How interesting…

Summer tensed when the girl turned her way with a wise smile, though she rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry about that. I heard your music, but it was so faint that I couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from." Summer just snorted. This girl was beyond reckless. Ozpin had chided her for being too careful, but being reckless was far more foolhardy in her opinion. Caution meant survival; recklessness meant death.

But she let out a sigh as she stood up, pulling her hood back down. So this was her partner for the next four years. She could already tell she was going to be in for one hell of a ride if the girl's recklessness was anything to go off of. Regardless, the black-haired girl smiled and extended a hand, red eyes shining brightly. "What's your name? I'm Raven Branwen. I hope we get along well."

Summer just stared at her with wide silver eyes and backed up a step, lips quivering. She didn't want to inflict her emotions on her. Being silent for four years with a partner was going to be hard enough, but with a team? There was no way she could get out of this, was there? Raven blinked and withdrew her hand, offering Summer a soft smile. "Oh, some sort of unfortunate SEmblance you don't want to inflict on others? My brother has one like that, so it's no big deal to me." Summer just stared. Figuring that out just from her silence alone? Raven was more than a little unnerving.

But summer gave a small, slow nod before she finally spoke, but she flinched when she did. "Summer Rose." Raven blinked as Summer felt her fear, distrust, anxiety, and trepidation flood toward her new partner. She just smiled and grabbed SUmmer's hand, starting to drag her along.

"Oh,that's a really interesting Semblance. I'm sure I'll get used to it in time." Raven just continued to smile as Summer let herself be dragged along. How could she accept her so easily? There was nothing normal about her curse of a Semblance. Even if her brother had something unfortunate, it couldn't be as bad as this. Nothing was as bad as this.

Given Raven's full contact with her, Summer wasn't surprised when she replied to the general, overwhelming anxiety. "Like I said, my brother has an unfortunate Semblance like yours. It's literally bad luck. When you've narrowly escaped falling limbs, trees, and landslides, you get used to a lot of shit. Feeling someone's emotions isn't too bad compared." Summer just winced. Landslides? Yeah, that would give Raven more than enough reason to overlook it. "So what else can your Semblance do?"

"Uh… I can force emotions on people with a lot of concentration. I tend to leave it for pure emergencies and it has limits. If someone has thick mental defenses, it's usually more trouble than it's worth." SHe couldn't count the number of times she'd used it as a defense mechanism against the mobsters that had been so keen to try to capture her. Her Semblance made her beyond dangerous which was very alluring to illicit groups.

Raven looked over her shoulder and nodded. "Interesting, interesting. Mine's to make portals to people I've bonded with regardless of distance. I could go to my brother but he's not—" She cut off when a nearby bush rustled and dropped Summer's and, pulling her katana out. An Ursa charged them and Summer tensed, but Raven didn't even flinch. SHe didn't even move until Summer was certain she'd be attacked. With practiced ease, Raven simply turned on her heel, driving the blade through the Grimm without so much as a blink. All Summer could do was stare. In her training session, not even Persia, the teacher she'd stayed with, hadn't been that bold. Just who was this girl…?

Raven returned her weapon to its sheath and smiled. "Now, how about we get back to our conversation?"

* * *

Summer was the first to open the dorm door and picked one of the beds closer to it in the event they needed to escape. She heard a grunt and looked at Qrow who rested his head in his hand while Raven wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "As if you weren't insufferable enough already, Raven. What the hell was Ozpin thinking, making you team leader?" Summer had to concur with his thoughts. Raven seemed far too reckless to make an effective team leader if their various mishaps in the forest were anything to go off. She didn't know anything about Taiyang, but he seemed a lot calm than Raven thus far. So why her…? She wasn't a bad person, just far too reckless and impulsive.

Raven just shrugged, flopping down on a bed and stretching out. "Dunno, but I'll do my best to make sure we're at the top of our game." She beamed at everyone and Summer just pulled her knees to her chest, flipping her hood up. She vaguely heard the twins continue sniping at each other in the way only twins could, but she drowned it out.

This was going to be absolutely miserable. She would only be able to talk to Raven; there was absolutely no way Qrow or Taiyang would accept her Semblance. Even if Qrow's was similar in ways, she knew better. People feared what was unknown and different, always turning it away. It was why humans hated Faunus so much. She personally had nothing against them since she knew both races were equally capable of hatred and violence. She'd been turned away by both so—

Someone sitting on her bed made her head snap up and she saw Taiyang sitting there. The Branwen twins continued squabbling and he nodded toward the door. She hesitated but nodded, not wanting to listen to it. She really didn't like hearing people fight. She'd had more than enough pain to last multiple lifetimes.

The stepped out the door and Taiyang led her down to a courtyard, seeming a bit too at ease with Beacon's layout. He stretched and smiled at her as they walked. "So what brings you to Beacon? My dad's a teacher here, so it makes sense I'd become a Huntsman." He chuckled and Summer flipped her hood up. She was glad the overlarge cloak could act as a barrier between her and others, hinting that she didn't want to talk. Regardless, the silence hung heavy in the air and she folded her arms.

"So, uh, unique weapon you have. What's the music do…?" She heard the note of awkwardness in his tone but remained silent once again. He didn't deserve to have her emotions inflicted on him. She knew he was just trying to be friendly but—

A hand on her shoulder made her freeze, then pull back several steps. Taiyang looked at his hand and blinked, but he smiled a moment later. "So that's your Semblance, huh? I've been through a fair bit myself, so it's no trouble." After another moment of hesitation, she looked up at him fully.

"A-Are you sure…?" Despite the rush of emotions tossed at him, he smiled and nodded.

"We're teammates, Summer. Can't let one of our own suffer in silence, can we?" With trembling fingers, she pulled her hood down and gave a small nod. She wasn't sure how, but she seemed to have found a team that didn't care about her Semblance.

Maybe this wouldn't be as terrible as she thought it'd be.

* * *

So re: green in Raven's outfit.

Color is pretty important in the Branwen tribal tradition. Raven sticks pretty close to a lot of traditions since she finds it comforting with the unpredictability that comes with a bandit tribe. Basically, picture her canon outfit but where the red is, put green. It's a weird change, but colors and meanings are kinda strict.

Green's the color of newness and new beginnings. She chose it specifically because she was going out into the outside world to a large extent for the first time.

Red is probably the most important color in the Branwen tradition as it can only be worn under two circumstances: mourning or as the mark of an excellent warrior. (For information on the former point, check out the A/Ns for Rose Petals.) She's earned the right to wear it somewhat due to her skills, but not enough that she wear it as flagrantly as canon, hence why it's only in her ribbon. By the end of Beacon, she has earned that right.


	7. Trees - June 2135

Originally written for Humminbird/Flow North Week 2k18 on Tumblr under the prompt "Comedy."

Not very long but this was still fun to write. Summer's 5'0" flat btw

* * *

Summer let out a sigh as she reached for the cabinet, her fingers scraping over the bottom. Oh, for fuck's sake, it was like the dorm was designed for giants! She knew the average height of a woman in Vale was around 5'8" with men being 5'11", but this was ridiculous! And there wasn't a stool anywhere to be seen!

"Something wrong, Summer?" Qrow's voice made her turn around and she nodded, reaching for the cabinet. She just needed to grab a container for her sandwich, but Raven had put them up _way_ too high. It was infuriating beyond words she couldn't even reach the damn cabinet, let alone its contents.

He reached over her head and opened it, looking down at her. "Whatcha need?" She reached for the sandwich boxes and he grabbed one for her. She snatched it up and puffed her cheeks out. Ozpin really needed to have the damn dorms fitted with lower cabinets or at least provide a _damn stool_ for vertically challenged students.

"If you need help getting something in the future, just ask. I'm sure none of us will mind." There wasn't any condescension in his tone, but she just stuck her tongue out. She could deal with things on her own; she'd survived on her own this long.

Qrow rolled his eyes and picked up the box, holding it over his head. She jumped and reached for it, not even able to reach the bottom. His expression flattened and she stuck her tongue out again. "Not everyone's a damn tree; now give me the damn box or I'll make sure your socks are soggy for the next month!" He just gave it to her. She stuck her tongue out again before putting her sandwich inside.

He'd still have soggy socks.


	8. Recovery - June 2135

Originally written for Hummingbird Week 2k18 on tumblr for the prompt "sweet."

* * *

Summer hugged her knees as she shook, darkness surrounding her. It'd been the worst day of her life. She hadn't expected this. She'd thought she'd calculated for everything, but she hadn't anticipated this. Everything about this was awful and she wanted it to end.

A hand brushed over her shoulder and she tensed. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She inched her head upward and pulled her hood back. Light red eyes and a gentle smile greeted her. She blinked at Qrow who ruffled her hair a bit and she managed a faint smile. "Feeling any better? Taiyang and Raven said you were still out cold when they checked on you about an hour ago."

Summer pulled herself into a sitting position, letting her cramped arms unfurl. She winced a little at that and the combined headache, but she gave a small nod. "My aura's recovered enough that I'm conscious again." That math teacher really had it out for her even though it was only the first day of classes! What kind of teacher singled out a student like that?!

However, she froze after she spoke. For the first time in over a decade, she felt nothing. Well, she felt plenty, but her emotions remained exclusive to her. Her aura was so low her Semblance hadn't triggered. She'd wanted this for a long time, but it just felt so _wrong_. He aura was so low she didn't even have the reserves to even let the passive effects trigger. This was wrong on so many levels…

She glanced over at Qrow after he shifted onto the bed. He paused for a moment before patting the spot next to him. Summer's throat stuck as she stared at him. Should she? Even with her aura utterly drained, she was so unused to physical contact, but…

She slid over and found herself adhered to his side a moment later. He rubbed her head and she felt his fingers tremble. "Qrow, if this is hard on you, you don't—"

"I want to, Summer; it's no big deal. I know what it's like to have an awful goddamn Semblance. Did Raven—"

"Yeah."

"Of course she did. Damn it all, Raven." He dragged a hand through his hair before letting it drop and rest against her gently. She closed her eyes and let herself relax. His body heat permeated the thick cloak and she burrowed into him more, seeking out the comfort. It'd been twelve years since someone had last held her like this. She really had forgotten how nice physical contact was.

She felt his other hand start to thread through her hair and she leaned into the gesture. He gave a small, sharp exhale which made her crack an eye. "What's so funny?" With her freakish Semblance outed, she wasn't exactly in the mood to have a teammate making fun of her.

"No, no, I'm not laughing at you. You're just kind of…adorable, Summer." Her cheeks heated and she pulled her hood over her face. He chuckled again but she remained settled against him. Damn it all, she was cursed to look like a child forever. Nobody would ever want her.

He thought ebbed away after a moment, the rhythm strokes on her hood demanding her attention. This…really was nice and something she could get used to…


	9. Night - June 2135

Summer rolled over in her bed, rubbing her eyes as she saw the clock bleed 1130 against the inky darkness. Just _fantastic_ . Even after close to a month with Persia, she _still_ wasn't used to actually sleeping to say sleep. With all of the time she'd spent on the streets, she'd had to be ready to flee at a moment's notice because she never knew if somebody—especially the Torchwicks—would come after her. It was so annoying to not be able to sleep a full night since it left her utterly _exhausted_ for school.

Still, she couldn't stand laying down any longer and pushed the partition for her "room" open, leading out into the small "hallway" the four partitions in the dorm created. She slunk through the study area to the living/dining area, then opened the door to the balcony silently, leaning into the cool night air.

A small smile formed on her lips as the familiar scents of the city hit her face and she saw the lights below her. She didn't miss the uncertainty of the streets, but being inside was still just so _strange_ to her. It left her feeling restless and confined whereas this let her feel like she was free without any worries.

She tensed and spun on her heel when she heard footsteps behind her, relaxing a moment later when she saw Qrow with his hands up. "Easy, Summer." His voice was quiet and a small hint of color came to her cheeks, though it was hidden in the cool darkness. At the very least she didn't have Battaglia pointed at him since she knew she was safe.

"Having trouble sleeping?" She nodded and returned to leaning against the railing on the balcony, looking at the city below. He stepped up beside her and did the same, following her gaze. "What's bothering you?" She remained silent until he nudged her and she sighed. This talking thing still wasn't easy for her even though she'd wanted to _desperately_ for so long.

"Nothing. I just find it hard to sleep. I'm used to being aware all the time." Well, she felt restless, but she could tell Qrow and Raven weren't much better on that front. She still didn't know much about them, but just from the way they acted, they were used to being out and about at all times, but they were still more settled than she was.

At least Taiyang could be the "normal" one of the group.

She looked up at Qrow and he gave a nod. "Yeah, I feel you. Sentry duty was a constant for me." She blinked and looked up at him more, just getting a shake of his head. She just nodded and turned her attention back to the city. Considering she was keeping secrets from them, she wasn't surprised he wasn't being forthcoming either. Then again, they still had only known each other a couple of days, and they weren't even partners, so she could hardly fault him.

Heat surged into her cheeks when she felt him wrap an arm around her and pull her close. He just chuckled softly as she leaned into the gesture and closed her eyes, revelling in the warmth from the contact. Gods, this was something she'd missed _so much_ over the past twelve years… Physical contact was _so nice_ … She was glad Qrow could withstand her Semblance… It made life a lot easier…

"I guess you won't mind if I stand here with you for awhile, huh?" He started running his hand through her hair and she leaned into the gesture further. All she did was shake her head slightly and keep her eyes sealed shut. Well, even if she couldn't sleep, she didn't mind standing out here for a little while…


	10. Sparks - June 2135

Summer panted as she jobbed over to her scroll and turned the recording off. She marked it with the date and time before going over to Taiyang. He offered her a water bottle and she took it after putting her scroll away, draining half of it in a few seconds, sliding down the wall. "You're pretty good, Summer, though you still need quite a bit of work."

She made a face at the comment. "Well, it's not my fault that the math teacher has it out for me." Rat bastard had landed her in the infirmary and out of sparring practice for the past week and a half. Her aura regeneration and reserves were ridiculous, but it still hadn't been able to withstand that. Thankfully, the nurse had declared her fit to return to combat yesterday. Of course, Raven ahd dragged her down to spar right away to help her brush up.

Taiyang rolled his eyes but he smiled. "That's true. Anyway, I'm guessing Raven wasn't the biggest help yesterday?"

Summer fell silent for a moment before shaking her head. "No. I mean, yes. In her Raven way." Raven had put the heat on and she'd had her ass handed to her on a silver platter. The brutal fight had expose where her abilities were lacking, but Raven hadn't been able to offer any concrete pointers. It seemed combat just came naturally for the Branwen twins but neither of them could really articulate how or why to do something.

"Since it seems like Qrow and Raven won't be of much help for more formalised constructive criticism, I can help." Summer glanced over at him, eyebrows shooting up. She'd already met his father—Yueliang—as he was their sparring instructor. It did make a level of sense he'd be more equipped to help her like this, but it hadn't even crossed her mind. With how annoyed she'd been over being barred from the most important part of Beacon for her… Yeah, it was really no surprise.

"Do you want to review the video of the spar or—"

"I got it." He smiled warmly, tapping his temple. She pushed herself to her feet and flipped Battaglia to its half staff form. Taiyang came up behind her. She felt warmth blossom in her cheeks, radiating outward. It had been one thing when Persia had done this, but it was entirely different when someone her age did.

Taiyang just chuckled and put his hands over her eyes. "Right now, your primary problem is that you're holding it too tight and not letting it move. Your reaction times and instincts are spot on which helps, but that'll only go so far with your limited mobility right now. You need to hold it with just your thumb and forefinger to let it slide." She gave a small nod and let him adjust her grip. It felt strange to hold the weapon so much more loosely. Persia had only had three short weeks to go over some base fundamentals. This was more advanced, so it hadn't come up.

"Good. Peersia taught you the nine fundamental strikes on a human, right?"

Summer just groaned. "She spent a solid twenty minutes at the beginning of each session drilling them." She understood they were the absolute foundation when using a lot of weapons, but it hadn't made the tedium any less annoying. They were good and pounded into her muscle memory, though…

"Glad to hear it, though I'm going to increase the difficulty in this grip." Great, just great. Having to relearn something almost from scratch was just fantastic. But if she had to in order to graduate Beacon, she would. She took in a breath and nodded to let Taiyang know she was ready. This was going to be interesting.

"This is what you've been doing until now, right?" She allowed him to move her hands and arms in the typical overhead swing, though her hands didn't move. She nodded at the familiar action. It was about the only thing the nurse had allowed her to do for the past week and a half, so that'd only further reinforced it.

"Just follow my lead." She nodded again and he adjusted her grip. She felt like she was going to drop it, but with how certain he was, she had no reason to distrust him.

With that done, he reset her stance and started the overhead swing again slowly. He slid her left hand to the end, followed by the right. Her eyes widened as everything clicked. "It's like a lever!" Now it made sense how the short staff could gain more distance. She'd thought it a severe flaw of the weapon to only use a foot or so of it. Only her quick reflexes and instincts had saved her until now.

She looked up at Taiyang who smiled down at her and nodded. "Exactly. You'll be able to get a bit more distance when you use the spear form, but let's focus on this for now. Plus, as long as your stance is good, you don't have to put a lot of raw strength into this." She felt a bit more warmth blossom and seem into him, but he thankfully ignored it. She just nodded and shoved it to the side.

"I think I see how to apply it to all the strikes." Taiyang's eyebrows shot up and she smiled sheepishly. Thankfully, he backed up and she reset her stance, starting to flow from motion to motion.

As she moved from the left shoulder strike to the right leg, she cracked her forehead on the ground. She felt Battaglia slip out of her grip and roll away. She closed her eyes and put a hand on her chest, struggling to find oxygen. It would pass in a few moments, so she saw no reason to panic.

She sensed Taiyang next to her and he pulled her into his arms. Once again, she felt her face heat, but she coughed a moment later, glad to have her breathing back. Taiyang put a tissue under her nose and she sighed as she took over. "Are you all right?" He looked at her and she nodded.

"Just got the wind knocked out of me and a bloody nose. Been through worse." What an awful miscalculation. She'd gotten used to fighting in the way Persia had taught her, so she hadn't thought anything of it. She'd definitely be more careful in the future.

Taiyang nodded and pulled her into his lap. Her cheeks dusted pink but she closed her eyes and let herself lean against him. "Just rest until that stops bleeding." His tone was soft and she nodded, feeling a gentle, calm warmth settle over her.

"...Okay."

* * *

I apologise if anybody found the actual teaching part of this tedious. I just wanted to just lend an air of credibility to the scene and show that Taiyang knew what he was talking about as well as Summer's natural aptitude for combat despite her origins.

Also the incident with the math teacher will likely remain a noodle incident.


	11. 10935-1725-ravenstop-avi

A video from Summer's scroll

* * *

 _[the video opens to Summer sitting down in the bathroom and Raven clearly messing with the scroll instead of Summer. Summer glowers at Raven as she sets the scroll on the counter]_

Raven this is so stupid. I don't need any—

It's a dance, Summer. You need to look good when you're going to a social function like this especially when you have a date!

I'm only going because I _have_ to! And you know I'm just gonna be on the balcony with Qrow most of the night! I don't see why you have to record _this_!

 _[Summer groans and drags her hands down her face. Raven disappears off camera and rustling can be heard in the background. She comes back a moment later with makeup]_

Hey, you know that formal events are part of being a Huntress. Once we get out into the field, we might end up taking some missions from someone of the upper class. And that's usually the way they thank you.

 _[Summer groans and drags her hands down her face again, looking ready to drive a sword through Raven]_

If that happens, then you need to know how to do your makeup. I mean I know I'm no expert in it by any means right now, but I know enough to do a basic tutorial for you. I'll do this again in the future as I get better!

 _[Raven beams and Summer pinches the bridge of her nose]_

We're not friends anymore, Raven.

Love you too Summer~ Now let's do this since the dance starts in about ninety minutes!


	12. 17-9-35-0049-moonflowerdance-avi

A video from Summer's scroll.

Originally written for Flown North/Hummingbird Week 2k18 on Tumblr under the prompt "A Moment."

* * *

 _Sat .2135 12:49am_

 _[the screen is dark. Loud rustling and shaking can be heard along with heavy breathing. It takes several moments before the picture shifts out. The shattered moon shines out over a beautiful flower field full of moonflowers]_

 _[Summer inhales sharply]_

Qrow, this is amazing. How did you find it?

Eh, Rae and I had a bad habit of sneaking out after Ozpin put us up in the dorms. We had to abide by the curfew for first years do after we passed out entrance exam. We just can't stand being cooped up.

 _[there's a moment of silence before both of them snort. There's a small gasp from Summer as the camera swings around to focus on Qrow. He smiles and has a hand extended, the other behind his back]_

Since we're out here, might as well take advantage of it. You enjoyed the dancing but not so much the event itself last weekend, right?

Y-Yeah… Too many people… Just gimme a sec…

 _[the camera shakes for a few seconds before it stabllises. It's far enough away to focus on both of them. Summer runs back and lets her cloak fall to the ground. Qrow takes a half step back in surprise]_

Summer, your cloak. Are you sure—

You'll be more than enough to keep me warm, Qrow.

 _[she smiles warmly at him and he smiles back, extending his hand out again. He rests his other hand on her hip and she rests her head on his chest, pressed close against him. They begin to dance underneath the moonlight]_


	13. 231035-1338-surprise-avi

A video from Summer's scroll

* * *

 _Tue .2135 12:38pm_

 _[the camera screen is black but rustling can be heard]_

Raven, I can't believe you took Summer's scroll! You know how much that thing means to her!

 _[it's pulled out and Raven looks at the camera, giving a small grin and flashing a peace sign]_

Well, I wanted her to be able to see the prep when she watches it.

You're utterly insufferable, Rae.

Love you too, Qrow.

 _[the camera shakes a bit as she turns it away from herself and toward the kitchen. It's a mess of ingredients and food. Then it pans around the room, showing off some decorations before turning back to Raven]_

I hope you enjoy this, Summer. Your first birthday with the team.

 _[the video stops there]_

* * *

23.10.35_1447_

 _2135 2:47pm_

 _[the room is mostly dark. Tai and Summer are framed by light coming from the doorway]_

The hell is—

 _[Summer flips on the light. The camera jars and 'Surprise!' can be heard from Tai, Raven, and Qrow. It zooms in on Summer's face. She's wide eyed, cheeks a bit pale, but she smiles after a second]_

Guys, what's all of this?

Exactly what it looks like, MeMe: a surprise party for you!

You really didn't need to…

It was Raven's idea, of course. _[Qrow lets out a grunt]_ After Tai told us about surprise parties, of _course_ Raven had to.

Thanks guys…

 _[the camera focuses on Summer and it shakes_

I was wondering where it went. I can't believe you, Rae!

 _[she focuses on Raven who just grins]_

Come on; the food's getting cold. Let's eat!

 _[the picture cuts out]_


	14. Divide p1: Say Goodbye - March 2139

Are we heroes keeping peace? / Or are we weapons?  
These children you mislead / You'll watch them all bleed

* * *

Summer grinned as she and Raven touched down on the Nevermore's back. "Go go go!" Raven nodded and tossed her a couple of Omen's dust blades. Her cloak whipped around and she drove the lightning blades into the Grimm's wing, earning a screech of pain. She grabbed onto them as the Nevermore began a vertical ascent and she gritted her teeth.

Okay, not how she had planned this.

It screeched again and tilted sharply to the right, veering toward a more horizontal plath, allowing her to regain her footing. She sent a silent thanks to Raven as she ran up the back, ignoring the whipping winds as she drove Battaglia into its eye.

Oh hell.

She gripped the feathers and looked over at Raven who pulled her into the portal. She let out a sigh of relief at the solid footing, though it shook moments later when the thing crashed into the ground. "Let's go!" She smirked as the team followed behind her and reached the wounded Grimm. The ground rumbled beneath their feet as it convulsed, the lightning blades protruding like spines on a porcupine.

This would be easy. A medium-sized Nevermore half blind and crippled? Child's play for Team STRQ at this point.

They canned out and Summer continued to grin as she approached from the front. The Grimm eyed her with its good one, trying to raise its wings. The electric shocks kept it from moving too much, though.

She flipped Battaglia to its full eight foot spear length and rushed in. She drove it straight into the other eye and earned another cry of agony.

However, she blinked and looked to the side when she felt the ground rumbling. What the hell—? A Goliath…?! "Pull back, pull back!" She couldn't stop the panic in her voice and the Goliath turned straight for Qrow. Her eyes widened as she raised her hand.

"No!"

Everything went silver then black.

—

Summer groaned and tried to sit up, but a hand on her shoulder kept her on the bed—

Wait. Bed?

She opened her eyes, but the harsh light made her shut them again. THe world also spun and she put a hand on her head. What in the hell had happened? She had to be at Beacon since she was on a bed instead of a cot. But how? When? Just what had happened?

She heard voices, but the muddled sound made it impossible to make anything out. How had it affected her hearing…whatever the hell it was she'd done. Her aura should have cleared that up, right? It wasn't like she'd been super low while on the Nevermore's back. She also hadn't exactly left the group or done anything to deplete it hugely.

What it had been, though, was not her Semblance.

—

She wasn't sure how much time passed, but her hearing suddenly returned. She winced from hearing the sharp sound of a pan clattering on tile, feeling a flare of surprise and relief from Raven. Well, she was in the dorm, but why? Wouldn't the infirmary have been better?

"Miss Rose, you can open your eyes now."

Ozpin.

Of course.

She grunted but capitulated on the order, glad to not have her head spin. Things came into focus and she saw Raven bent over her. Tears misted over her best friend's eyes and she felt the relief radiate out. She helped Summer sit up and she let herself lean against her for support.

Oh, she'd been on the couch, not her and Raven's bed.

Shaking her head a little, she looked at Ozpin. "Okay. One: how long have I been out? Two: What the hell happened? Three: Why the hell can I barely move? Four: What the hell did you do to me to make me feel better?" She couldn't move much, but suddenly having her senses returned to her in an instant…

That wasn't natural.

Ozpin sighed and removed his glasses, closing his eyes. Summer stared and it took every bit of self-control she had to not let her jaw drop. This was the first sign of real human emotion she'd seen him express. Whatever had happened had at least nicked his mask and forced him into a corner.

He replaced his glasses, looking at Summer seriously. "Unfortunately, I cannot give you all of the answers you seek, Miss Rose. All of this information is on a need-to-know basis. As you have not yet—"

"Cut the shit, Ozpin." Qrow pushed off the wall and settled on Summer's other side. She winced a little under his grip but she said nothing. "Summer deserves at least a few answers."

After a long moment, the man sighed and replaced his glasses. "I suppose there is no brushing this incident off, is there? Very well, but I cannot give you all that you seek. As I said, this information is strictly need to know. All you need to know right now is that magic exists and what you experienced was but a small bit of the power you hold, Miss Rose."

Summer turned her gaze down as she gripped the blankets, everything finally snapping into place. "…So that's it. You offered me a place at Beacon because I can do something for you. I knew this whole time I was just some sort of means to an end for you, but still. We're nothing more than tools to you, are we?" The headmaster didn't reply which was enough of an answer for her. She'd had a feeling that was it the entire time. The way he looked at her, Raven, and Qrow was like how she looked at pieces when playing Raven in a tactics game.

"…So who are you playing against, Ozpin?"

"Miss Rose—"

"Ozpin, don't keep running circles around us. Don't make me say it." The man sighed at Qrow's belligerent comment, his shoulders sloping down down as she rubbed the bridge of his nose. Her best friend's anxiety flooded to the tips of her hair, but Summer focused on the headmaster.

"I knew you would eventually find your way here, Miss Rose, but it's still never easy to tell anybody this information. I fight against a woman named Salem, the leader of the Grimm." Raven inhaled sharply and Summer put a hand on her chest as she coughed. Raven really needed to calm down; it felt like she'd just gotten punched in the chest!

Ozpin looked at Raven before removing his glasses once again, looking at them fully." Yes, Miss Branwen, I am quite aware of your tribe's taboo and beliefs in mentioning her. There is no threat of her being summoned simply by mentioning her name." With that, Summer met his gaze again fully for the first time in four years. Distant, endless, and eternal.

"How long?" She was probably accepting all of this too easily, but her own experiences backed up what he was saying.

"Too long." Not much of an answer, but given this was Ozpin, she wasn't surprised. She'd grown to accept his vague responses and cryptic riddles over the past four years.

"Unfortunately, with you now awakened, Miss Rose, your whole time has a target painted on its back. Things will become far more dangerous for you. If you should so choose, you can join my guardians that fight against Salem for the good of Remnant. As ever, though, you have a choice. I'll leave you to your thoughts." He put his glasses back on before existing the dorm. Summer slumped against Raven and closed her eyes.

"…By the way, it's been four days," Qrow murmured. He squeezed her shoulder before she heard a door close, followed shortly by another one.

Summer felt Raven wrap her arms around her and she didn't protest being pulled into her lap. "…You and Qrow seem to be taking this rather well." She felt Raven's forehead against her and she leaned into the familiar gesture. It was a huge comfort at the moment. She took one of Raven's hands and entwined their fingers, pressing into her best friend as close as she could. She was just so exhausted, confused, and upset.

Raven gave her hand a small squeeze and nodded. "Until the Great War, magic was a part of life for the tribe. Whenever one came of age, a group would travel to a magic fountain near our village at the nearest vernal equinox following that. We'd obtain bird forms identical to our name's sake. Unfortunately, Salem destroyed the fountain during the war. Only my grandmother retains any magic and she inherited that from her mentor.

"As for Salem… Well.. There's a story in our tribe about how we used to have the inherent ability to shift without need of the fountain. She somehow stole the ability from us, though, so we needed to start relying on the fountain."

Summer fell silent at Raven's words and gave a small nod. So magic was part of their heritage and she had firsthand experience with it… Made sense…

However, a wave of exhaustion rolled over her and she ragdolled against Raven fully. She felt a kiss on her forehead and Raven pulled the blanket closer around them. "Get some more rest, MeMe; you need it."

* * *

One quick shoutout to timetravelingshark on Tumblr. I touched on a little bit of Branwen tribe worldbuilding they so graciously allowed me to use as a base for my own and add onto.

I apologise for the subpar action scene. I'm not very good at them and this was my first time attempting to write one in…only god knows how long at this point. I wanted to do it to show just how much Summer grew into her role as a Huntress from when she entered Beacon. Plus, I figured I'd use it as a starting ground since I'm planning a much larger fic that'll involve quite a few…


	15. 21329-1638-firstession-avi-

A video from Summer's scroll.

* * *

 _[the video cuts in and shows Summer walking over to Ozpin, her silver eyes sharp]_

Miss Rose, is video of this really necessary? Your memory for combat and basically all things is impeccable. This seems entirely unnecessary.

You should know how I am by now. I want to have _everything_ on my scroll so I can refer back to it. It's entirely unbiased and my memory is fallible. Plus, what if we find another Silver-Eyed Warrior and I need to teach them because something happened to you? Or what if something happens to _me_ and nobody's around to teach them?

 _[Ozpin sighs heavily and pushes his glasses up, shoulders dropped]_

Very well, Miss Rose. I suppose you have a solution to what would happen if you lost your scroll so this information doesn't leak and cause a mass panic?

Yup. I'm already starting to build custom encryption software that'll be trick for anyone to navigate. Qrow's helping.

 _[she smiles warmly. Ozpin just shakes his head, rubbing his temples]_

Very well. Now sit down and begin to meditate.

 _[Summer gives him an incredulous look but she does it anyway. Within just a few seconds, she's clearly in a meditative state. Ozpin folds his hands behind his back, looking down at her]_

Now, Miss Rose, focus on the sound of my voice as I guide you through this.

 _[Summer nods a little, her breathing slow and steady]_

You're highly aware of your own aura and how it flows. I want you to feel that for a few moments. Just sit with it and and feel the circulation to become the most aware of it you've ever been. Bring it to the surface. Don't try to bury it. Just be mindful and let it flow.

 _[several moments pass in silence as Summer's pure white aura glows over the surface of her entire body]_

Very good, Miss Rose. Now remember the feeling of a week ago when your magic activated for the first time. I know it will be difficult, but try to remain calm. I just want you to see if you can feel the source of your magic and nothing more. Feel how it is a different source than your aura. Do not do more than try to feel it. Do _not_ try to use it.

 _[Summer gives a small nod again, her aura continuing to glow brightly. Several moments pass until she inhales sharply and her eyes snap open as she falls on the ground, clutching her chest. Her breaths are rapid and shallow, clearly putting her close to a panic attack]_

W-What in t-the…hell was _that_?! It…felt…like…a…bomb went off…

 _[Ozpin runs a hand through his hair]_

Apparently your magic is more potent than I previously thought… Forgive me for putting you through that, Miss Rose…

 _[Summer staggers to her feet a few moments later, silver eyes sharp and trained on him]_

This is what I am to you, isn't it, Ozpin? I'm just a _tool_ to you, huh? All of us at Beacon and the other Hunter schools… We're just _pawns_ in your game against Salem, aren't we?! And me… I'm the biggest one, huh? I have unspeakable powers that only _you_ understand along with my Semblance. There are things only _I_ can do against Salem, aren't there? You want _me_ to do all your legwork because _I_ can do something only _you_ will understand?

 _[her eyes narrow]_

You preach about choice, but it's all just an illusion. By time someone learns about the war on Salem, they've already sunk so much time into being a Hunter they basically _can't_ refuse out of a sense of duty.

 _[Ozpin just stares at her, wide eyed, shaking his head]_

Miss Rose, that's not—

Don't try to pull the wool over my eyes, Ozpin. I see through your games. I see it in your eyes. I'll fight in this war, but not for your; my duty and loyalty are to the people of Remnant. Is that clear?

 _[she walks over and picks up her scroll. There's a loud sound and the picture spins before the video cuts out]_


	16. Flowers - April 2140

Originally written for Flown North/Hummingbird Week 2k18 on Tumblr under the prompt "Season." I originally had nothing for this, but then someone I follow on Instagram started posting pictures of ACen and I came up with this.

Goddammit I love these two too much and you cannot fucking convince me that Raven wasn't a shipper on deck for them.

* * *

Summer had known that spring was a big deal for the central Mistrali; the culture classes during Beacon had explained as much. She'd seen students from the region dress in traditional clothes and have picnics outside as the flowers started blooming. She'd always found the bright colors and patterns beautiful, but she'd thought it was simply for them.

Apparently, being there changed things.

Her face burned as Raven dragged her into a shop and spoke to the tailors in their native language. The fast, frantic pace as they held up garments and then put them away left her breathless. Removing her cloak had _not_ been fun, but she'd had little choice: once Raven sat her mind to something, there was no stopping her. She'd learned as much over the past four years.

Eventually, though, Raven shoved her out of the shop, bags in hands with their purchases. She clapped her hands together, crimson eyes shining. "Let's go back to the hotel and get changed! Oh, the flowers are beautiful this time of year…" Summer just bled a mixture of frustration, confusion, and impatience to her best friend. They had a mission to complete and she didn't like being held back from it. Ozpin had sent them himself which meant it was important.

Raven just stuck her tongue out, eyes still full of warmth. "Oh come on, Summer; don't be such a spoilsport! Ozpin told us to enjoy the culture a little bit! Plus, it's just _one day_ and the essence of the Mistrali concept of mono no aware." Summer's blood continued boiling and Raven just rolled her eyes, putting her hands on Summer's shoulders. If she'd been team leader, they'd be going straight to take care of things. Work first, play later. She didn't care if Ozpin had told them otherwise; they needed to get their work done.

Unfortunately, all she could do was let Raven push her back to the hotel. She stopped and turned an icy glare on her friend before heading into Qrow and Taiyang's room, slamming the door behind her. Summer blinked and stared when she saw Qrow tying an obi around his waist. He jumped and swore when the door slammed shut, the cloth falling to the floor. One of the lightbulbs hissed as it gave out and color entered his cheeks. "S-Summer, what—"

"Your sister." She dropped the bag onto the bed and flopped down, staring at the ceiling. She loved Raven, she really did, but it didn't mean she liked everything about her. Summer though _she_ was stubborn, but she had _nothing_ on Raven.

She felt Qrow settle next to her on the bed and he looked down at her, a soft smile on his face. "Yeah. Now imagine growing up with that." He chuckled softly and she managed a small smile. It was a running joke between them at this point. Regardless, she reached up and rested her hands on his cheeks, one of his hands coming to rest over hers.

"I can't say I expected you to get into this, Qow." She really couldn't. It was odd to see him just roll over and accept one of Raven's crazy proposals without an annoyed huff. It just didn't make much sense.

It at least earned a chuckle. "Yeah, I guess I just have a few good memories of this time of year." She nodded, knowing he probably wouldn't say anything beyond that. He didn't speak of the tribe in positive terms like Raven, so it was definitely a strange moment. She knew it wasn't as bad as he made it out to be but…

"Uh, Qrow, since you seem to know what you're doing, mind helping me get dressed?" Instantly, red cheeks replaced his soft smile and he gave an awkward cough.

"Shouldn't you ask Ra—" The sharp look silenced him and he ran a hand through his hair, cheeks growing redder. She'd had enough of her partner for a few hours. "I-If you're sure…"

"It's just skin, Qrow; it's nothing to get worked up over." She sat up and unclasped her cloak, letting it fall onto the bed, followed quickly by the ammunition belts, shirt, and pants. She could only let out an amused noise as he turned away, one hand covering his eyes. She full well knew about his feelings for her, but even so, it was still hilarious to see _Qrow_ of all people so off guard. "Seriously, Qrow, you can look."

He let out a small noise of embarrassment and sighed before looking at her. She just grinned and his blush deepend further before he turned his attention to the bag. "Uh, yeah. Getting the kimono itself on isn't too hard; it's the obi that's the real challenge…"

Over the next forty-five minutes or so, he helped her with the seemingly endless reams of cloth until she felt like a wrapped present. It wasn't suffocating, but it was uncomfortably tight. When she took a step, she almost fell and it was only Qrow's quick reflexes that saved her from hitting the floor. She let out a long string of swears as she looked up at him. "I don't like this; I can barely move." Even with her cloak, she'd gotten used to having a free, full range of motion if she needed to react to something.

Qrow just smiled and helped her stand up, straightening her obi a little. "It'll be all right, Summer; you can lean on me and I'll help you." She gave a reluctant nod and sighed, blowing at her bangs. She still hated not being able to do simple things on her own, but she knew by now she could rely on her team.

He reached into the bag and she blinked, flushing a little as he put a decoration in her hair. Had Raven slipped it in? She hadn't noticed it before. Regardless, her attention drew away from it as she heard him exhale. "You look wonderful…" She flushed and looked down, digging her scroll out of her cloak.  
"Thanks… Think you could take a picture?" This reminded her a lot of both Vytal festival dances… His reaction to her… The warmth and care…

He nodded and took her scroll after she unlocked it and snapped the photo, a light tinge to her cheeks. She stashed it in her obi, smiling as Qrow offered her an arm. "Ready to go?"

She managed a small smile and nodded as she attached to him. "Yeah."

* * *

The day proved to be much more fun than anticipate. A wide array of booths lined the streets with silly games to win cheap toys. Summer tried her hand at a few, but Qrow's Semblance (per usual) foiled her efforts. It still led to both of them laughing at the misfortunate for once rather than Qrow getting down on himself (much to her relief).

Night started to fall, though, and she heard Raven's ringtone go off. _Hey, are you near the central park?_ She raised an eyebrow at the odd question. Why was she asking? She was ready to crash in the hotel after all the activity.

 _Yeah, but I'm exhausted._

 _Come to the tree at the top of the hill on the park's tallest hill. Just a little longer! Please?_ She felt Raven's excitement bleed over to her and she sighed. It was so hard to ignore her best friend. She was like an excitable puppy half the time…

 _We're near an alley. Just come get us_. She didn't feel like walking all that way. She felt Qrow exhale and looked at him, a mischievous smile on his face. Somehow, she didn't like it.

"Tell her we'll walk."

Why did she not like this?

 _Qrow says we'll walk. See you in a bit_.

 _;)_

Summer blinked as Qrow lifted her into his arms. Her embarrassment radiated out, though his only response was a chuckle. He smiled at her warmly, placing a kiss on her head. "It'll be all right, princess; I got you." She shot a glare at him, only get another amused chuckle.

Even for as big as the city was, the park quickly became rather dark as they headed up higher on the hill. Really, it was more like a small mountain with how much it raised. The trees thickened and her grip on his neck tightened. She still hated more naturalistic environments due to the sheer unpredictability, but at least this one was manicured to a degree.

Eventually, they reached the top of the hill and Qrow sat her down, her silver eyes wide. A blanket sat underneath a massive cherry tree, the full moon's beams dappling the ground. Raven smiled and gave a small bow before leaving, though her crimson eyes shone as she did.

Summer walked over to the blanket and sat down, Qrow sliding next to her. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, gesturing to the sky. It took only a few moments for fireworks to start and she smiled, resting against him fully.

"Hope today wasn't as bad as you thought it'd be." His soft tone warmed her and she closed her eyes as she shook her head. Fingers combed through her short hair and she leaned into the gesture.

"…Yeah, it was really great."


	17. Divide p2: Die - April 2140

Where did it go? / Our peaceful youth, / Seems to be gone forever.  
Legends and fairy tales / Scattered in time / Maidens and kingdoms / Wrapped up in a lie

And here we have it: the titular chapter, the incident this fic was really named after. I didn't flesh out the details until recently, but I knew this would be the chapter that shared the full compilation's title.

* * *

"And then I said, 'What are you, chicken?' Oh wait, he was since his name was Kiken!" Summer covered her mouth with a hand at the joke. Qrow just rolled his eyes while Taiyang chuckled. It was always odd to hear about the Branwen tribe using bird names since she was so used to the color ones. Qrow and Raven's names at least invoked the black of their namesakes, so they didn't stand out as much as names as Ibis and Corma.

She smiled and looked up at the clear, blue sky. The sunlight warmed them and offered safe passage on their journey. They were toward the more northern part of Anima, so they had begun to feel the slow temperature drops day by day. It was just a routine mission to clear out a den of hardy Beowulves on the surface. In reality, Ozpin had received word some of Salem's spies might have been in the area. It was their job to investigate if it was true or not and report back to him.

Summer tensed, however, when she sensed some subtle change in the air. An underlying shift. Malice of some sort but not that of Grimm. Neither Qrow nor Raven had seemed to notice, so it had to be her silver eye—

Everything suddenly went black as burlap scraped her skin. She gritted her teeth from the contact, but one well-placed kick earned a scream of pain. She removed the sack and whipped Battaglia to its full length.

Pure chaos reigned as at least ten men descended on them. She caught sight of them trying to separate them. Three rushed her with swords and knives, though one swipe of the spear blade sent them reeling back.

She felt a staff cross her chest and throat, causing her to struggle for breath. She tried to aim for the vulnerable spot, but black tugged at the edges of her vision.

Then she smiled.

She gave into the panic and aimed it back at the man who gripped her. He dropped to the ground with a thud. Sometimes her Semblance came in handy even if it was more of a curse half the time.

The two remaining men tried to approach, but another swipe of Battaglia kept them back. It gave her a second to see her teammates scattered among the trees. She caught a flash of yellow then red and black further back.

Raven's aura flared and Summer froze as pure despair washed over her. What had happened? Why wasn't Raven using her Semblance? She always did when they were ambushed…

More despair ebbed into her being and Summer shook, unable to move from the fear. The two men approached her and she attempted to lift Battaglia. Her arms refused to respond, her own dread seeping in. Oh gods, Raven couldn't even move. She felt a tear roll down her cheek and the despair gave way to resigned acceptance.

No.

This couldn't be happening.

Not to Raven.

She couldn't lose her.

Summer shook and felt the wind stir her cloak. The darkest clouds covered the sky and thunder cracked overhead. For a brief moment, everything stopped. Attackers and defenders alike stared. She saw the attackers surge forward again. Raven's despair deepened and the sky opened.

Rain and hail the size of baseballs struck down. Thunder cracked. Lightning flashed. Screams filled the air. Bodies hit the ground, but Summer couldn't be sure if they were her teammates or the attackers.

All she could do was return Battaglia to its lyre form. She curled into a ball as hail assaulted her, depleting her aura. She hugged her weapon and sobbed. The storm almost seemed to respond to her cries, pulsing in waves every few seconds.

It took only a few minutes for her aura to break and everything went dark after a sharp rap to her head.

—

Summer snapped awake, gripping her head with her hands. She could feel the innumerable bruises left by the hail. It'd be weeks until she was fighting fit again. But it didn't matter if…

A slight pulse made her relax and she looked up, only to see Raven sitting there. Her head dipped and bobbed as she fought exhaustion. Summer leaned up and nuzzled their cheeks together, snapping Raven awake. Mutual relief washed over them and they hugged each other. "Oh, thank the gods you're safe, Rae…"

"I was more worried about you, MeMe. When that storm came out of nowhere…" Raven pressed her forehead into Summer's and she just closed her eyes. That storm had freaked her out, but she was more glad Raven was okay. She'd been so close to dying…

A rustling tent flap made Summer glance over and she blinked as she pulled away from Raven. "Oz?" The hell was he doing here? He was supposed to be at Beacon. It was the middle of the second trimester, not exactly a smart time to step away! Then again…

She just looked at Raven who shifted.

Summer sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Another info-dumping session apparently.

Tai and Qrow hobbled over to the fire while Summer remained lodged in Raven's arms.

"I honestly cannot say I was expecting this," Ozpin confessed as his gaze settled on Summer. "A silver-eyed warrior and a Maiden at the same time…? In all of my years, this is probably the most curious twist in our fight." Summer just rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Cut the shit, Oz, and give us what info you will." He still really hadn't explained the full significance behind her eyes other than she 'was a natural warrior, feared by Salem and the Grimm.' Sure, they'd been his spies since graduating a year ago, but he still refused to give them information beyond that.

Ozpin pushed his glasses up before explaining briefly about the Maidens. She'd thought it was just a fairytale, but after that… Well, there was no denying the truth of his words. She felt the faint pulse of the earth itself in her veins. It certainly explained the heightened perceptions over the past three months…

"ALthough, I will confess that there is one thing that surprise me about this." Everyone looked at Ozpin during the pause. "I thought that if either of you were to obtain the Spring Maiden powers, it'd be Miss Branwen." Summer and Raven exchanged glances, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" She felt trepidation fill Raven, but Ozpin raised a hand.

"Each of the Maiden powers have associated personality traits with them, derived from the original young women that bore the abilities. For Spring in particular, it's someone warm, kind, and outgoing, but the most important trait is to be nurturing." The two women looked at each other again.

It certainly made sense why he thought that. Sure, Raven was bullheaded, but her warm, friendly nature helped bring out the best in others. She'd really help pull Summer out of her shell and made her live up to her potential as a student at Beacon. Summer was plenty nurturing, but it was mainly to her close friends. She helped people when necessary, but other than that, she wasn't the most nurturing person.

"Unfortunately, this does confirm that the previous Maiden passed away… We lost contact with her about six months ago in one of Salem's ambushes. This means she had nobody in her last thoughts, so the powers chose you."

"And I'm guessing things just got a hell of a lot more dangerous because of it." Summer closed her eyes.

"Precisely, Miss Rose."

Gods damn it all.

* * *

Another lame attempt at a fight scene whoo

And to answer the questions that will not get answered otherwise:

1\. The attackers actually weren't Salem's men. They were a tribe called the Giroux that has bad blood with the Branwens. They saw two members of the Branwen tribe so they took the chance to ambush and attempt to kill them.

2\. The reason Raven didn't use her Semblance is because of one of the guys who attacked her. His own Semblance was to nullify others' as long as he maintained physical contact with them.


	18. 20-6-41-1837-jacquesschnee-avi

_20 June 2141 6:37 PM_

 _[Summer's clearly in a hotel room alone. She can't look at the camera]_

...I just met Jacques Schnee for the first time. I don't like the vibes he gave off. They reminded me far too much of Romulus Torchwick. The hidden brutality and cold, calculating mindset…

 _[she makes a noise and shivers]_

Last time we were here in Atlas, I learned how the women were treated in the upper class. They're nothing but pretty baubles to be treated as pawns for business transactions.

 _[she shivers again]_

I saw the wedding ring on his finger and I fear for his wife and any daughters he may have with her. I'd drop the mission if I could, but we can't. The area we're going to could have _[words beeped over, but it looks like she's saying 'The Winter Maiden']_ so we can't back down.

Gods help me when we report back to him…

 _[the video cuts off]_


	19. Divide p3: When It Falls - Dec 2141

How does it feel / Knowing your efforts will fail? / All that you've built will be torn down

The good will crawl / The shining light will sink in darkness / Misery and pain for all / When it falls

This is just a series of very short vignettes dedicated to an incident that happens to Raven. I could make this its own arc, but I didn't want to since this plot point will be addressed later in another fic.

* * *

Qrow crashed into the door of the team's house on Patch. Feathers flew everywhere. He closed his eyes and struggled for breath.

Light flooded over his closed eyes.

He felt gentle hands lift him and he relaxed. Her anxiety poured over him, but it disappeared as darkness took him.

—

He snapped awake, wincing at the pain in his head. He'd rather relive his worst hangover than this.

Summer's hand stroked his head and he settled into her lap. He closed his eyes, still too tired to report what had happened.

—

The sound of birds greeted him and he looked up at Summer. Her head lolled to the side, worry etched on her soft features.

He hopped off her lap and she snapped awake.

He returned to his human form. Anxiety flooded silver eyes that tore through him. All he could do was lower his head.

"Raven's been captured."

Summer's sob broke the heavy silence.

—

"Summer, come on; let's go spar." He nudged her, but she just shook her head.

She'd refused to speak for the past week and a half. He hadn't seen her this quiet since their early days at Beacon.

—

He opened the door and blinked. Sliding his hands under the raven's back, he placed her on a pillow on the couch, then laid a blanket over her. Three weeks in Salem's clutches wouldn't be easy on her.

—

"What happened?" Ozpin looked at his sister. She just hunched over and wrapped her arms around herself. To not answer Ozpin… The hell had happened?

—

"…Qrow, we can't trust him. We should go back to the tribe while we still have the chance." Raven's crimson eyes shimmered with tears, but he shook his head.

"Rae, we both know I ain't going back after what Fallon did to you. Plus, I trust him. Everything he's told us is true."

"You left the tribe because of the lies that might be hidden in plain sight or have you forgotten?! Why are you blindly following Ozpin?! Yes, Father hid his abuses, but Ozpin's a billion times worse! He abuses the whole human race!"

He just grunted and ran a hand through his hair. What the hell had gotten into her? What had Salem done?


	20. Divide p4: The Promise - March 2143

Summer looked up at Raven as the black-haired woman clicked off the light in Yang's room. Her heart sank as she got the full blast of guilt and despair from her. Raven looked down and away, a hand on her sword. Summer sent a wave of confusion and concern at her. Team STRQ had been falling apart since she'd inherited the Spring Maiden's abilities at random, but she didn't understand. Why was her best friend leaving? She had a daughter to raise and care for!

Raven leaned against the wall, obviously unable to meet her eyes. "Summer… I don't want Yang involved in this war. Ozpin's a fool to think he can stand up to salem. This world _will_ fall and we will _all_ be destroyed. Despite that…" She looked back at Yang's door before dropping her gaze and shoulders. Summer reached out and took one of Raven's hands, trying to make sense of her emotional cocktail. Anger, fear, cowardice, guilt, regret… Raven's emotions were volatile, but they'd never been _this_ conflicted before. What _exactly_ was going through her head?

She felt the storm calm, going out like a flame in the wind as a singular emotion replaced it: _desperation_. She wasn't sure if she'd ever felt Raven's mood like this before.

Summer blinked as she put the pieces together. Alarm flooded her being and Raven staggered to the left a little, a hand on her head. She smiled sheepishly as she flipped her hood always hated whenever she overloaded Raven like this, but that was neither here nor there at the moment.

"Please try to keep Yang out of this war if possible. Summer, I really doubt Ozpin's presence will be enough to keep you safe forever, but it should hopefully deter Salem long enough to let Yang grow up and get away from the city of Vale and strike out on her own. Never tell her about her cowardly mother." Raven put a hand on her sword, but Summer gripped it with both of hers. She sent a desperate plea tinged with pure despair. Raven braced herself against the wall, hand once again on her head as the episode passed.

A think silence settled over the two women and Summer felt Raven's conflict. After a few moments, Raven gave a small nod. "...Knowing how Ozpin is, I wouldn't be surprised if you died on a mission for him. I don't want to be involved in this damn war any longer, but it'd be better than letting the Maiden's powers fall into Salem's hands. I guess we'll all die eventually but if it means a better hope for Yang…" Summer looked down at the ground, guilt flooding every pore on her head. She didn't want _this_ to be her goodbye with her best friend but…

Raven put a hand on her head and Summer looked up. "You'll be a fantastic mother, Summer. Much better than I ever would. Thank you." Summer nodded and sent a rush of gratitude toward Raven. Her friend offered her a bleary smile before swinging her sword and opening a portal. She stepped through and the silence settled around Summer until Yang's cry pierced it. She flipped her hood down and walked into the room, taking her new daughter into her arms.


	21. Divide p5: Mother - March 2143

Tear them apart / Sever their trust / Plant seeds of doubt / Hope will be smothered

* * *

So just one quick thing: this is from my OC, Dove's, view. She's Qrow and Raven's mother. I try not to plug my fics across each other, but Chained in Servility provides the full context for everything discussed here.

Also another quick thank you to timetravellingshark on Tumblr for any of the Branwen tribe worldbuilding I used in this.

* * *

Dove sighed as she brought the knife down on the cutting board and glanced out the window. Snow turned to the pitch darkness to an inky grey from the feeble moonlight that made it through the clouds. She could almost hear Raven's warm, sweet voice as they sat at the table, wrapped in a blanket as they sang together. On nights like this, it was hard to not think about those bygone days before she'd outed Fallon.

It'd been close to seven years since she'd last seen her baby birds. Raven had promise to visit her with her Semblance, but she hadn't. The time frame the council had imposed on her children for attending Beacon was fast closing. If they didn't return by the end of the fall, they'd be considered outsiders. She wouldn't have been surprised if Qrow chose to leave almost immediately after what had happened; his heart had never fully belonged to the tribe.

But Raven…? Her daughter who had clung to her so tightly and not wanted to leave? Her daughter who had cried at the thought of leaving the people she loved with her whole heart? What had happened in that first year to make her feel okay with never returning?

The house felt so empty. Even after seven years, she still expected to see Qrow or Raven round the corner or hear Fallon's laughter. But it was only her, Fallon's mother, and Jia, Raven's former best friend. How could she have abandoned them like this…? Jia's presence helped, but it just wasn't the same as holding her precious children in her arms.

She sucked in a breath, though, when familiar tension rippled through the air. The knife clattered to the counter. She turned to the back fo the room as a familiar red and black portal formed. Less than a second later, a familiar weight shot into her arms. Raven's entire body shook as she sobbed, clinging hard enough that Dove's breath shallowed.

She said nothing as she guided her daughter over to the table, sitting on the cushions. She activated her Semblance, wrapping Raven in gentle calm to try to soothe her nerves. She felt her will crumble like dust as she gave into it. Her sobs dropped to heavy, shallow breaths in response to giving Dove permission to calm her. She just remained silent as she tried to calm her daughter.

"Mother, what's—" Dove looked up at Jia who stared and she saw the conflict ripple across her face. Regardless, the young woman limped over and sat down, rubbing Raven's head. She felt her daughter's sharp intake of breath before she sobbed anew. Even her Semblance had its limits and she hated it.

"Jia, dear, could you finish dinner for me? I'll have my hands full for a while." Jia nodded. Dove wrapped one arm around Raven's waist and guided her to her room, settling on her bed.

It didn't take Raven long to fully cry herself out and Dove sighed, threading her fingers through her hair. Just what had happened to drive her back to the tribe in such a state? She'd seemed so resolute to leave them, yet she'd literally come back crying to her mother…

* * *

Dove blinked when she sensed Raven shift and pull away. "My baby bird." Even in the darkness, she felt Raven freeze and slump against her. The young woman gave a small sound of resignation and Dove's heart sank. What had happened to her strong daughter that balked at danger? Now she just crumbled like dust with the slightest prod…

The door opened and a lamp lit the room. Corma stood there, a warm smile on her wrinkled face. She always had had a strange instinct for when to come in and lighten the mood. She sat the tray of food on the dresser and started the fire, warming the freezing room.

Dove offered Raven some food, but she shook her head. "I-I don't think I'll be able to eat for at least a few days…" Her voice shook and cracked as she pulled her knees to her chest. Dove just pulled her daughter into her lap, activating Raven's familiar, instinctive cling.

"At least drink some water, dear." Thankfully, Raven didn't argue with that and put away the entire glass. She leaned against Dove and closed her eyes, her breaths rapid and shallow.

Dove bit her lip before she steeled herself and looked at her daughter. "Raven, my baby bird, what happened?" She was loathe to ask but…

Raven flinched at the question and gave a world-weary sigh."Too much. Far, far too much… The short version is Salem overall. But for the more immediate… I just abandoned my lover and daughter and left them to my best friend."

The air in the room thickened and Dove's blood turned to ice at Salem's name. Had she forgotten the taboo of speaking the witch's name? Then again, it had been seven years and she was beyond shaken, so she let it slide. SHe just didn't want to invoke the witch's attention through mentioning her. Hopefully, they'd be safe from her wrath…

But for Raven to abandon her lover (that word didn't worry Dove at all) and daughter when family was so important…? Just what had happened…?

"I'm back for good, Mother. I know I cut it close but…"

"You can always rest your wings here, my precious fledgling." Dove gave Raven a small squeeze as she once again slipped into unconsciousness. She had a feeling Raven's return didn't bode well. A storm was coming their way and it wasn't one they could avoid forever…


	22. Divide p6: Bad Luck Charm - Mar 2143

Friendships deny / While allegiances die  
If you linger close / It's a hefty price / You and I are not the same / You don't want the burden of my name

This wasn't originally meant to be a part of Hummingbird Week 2k18, but this honestly tied so well into the theme of Distance so well I decided it was worth including it as a piece for it. Amazing how things can work out so perfectly! This fits the prompt/theme of Distance

* * *

Qrow stretched as he headed downstairs, a knot forming in his throat. Silence this early in the morning and no smell of breakfast from the kitchen? Summer and Raven were usually up by now with one of the cooking. Even with as flighty as Raven had been over the past odd year, the two women were usually talking about _something_.

He headed in and saw a white heap on the table, an empty root beer bottle on the table. This…wasn't good. Both his sister and Summer refused to touch alcohol when he and Tai drank. They opted for root beer since it at least looked somewhat similar to beer without any of the negative side effects. What had happened to make her turn to her substitute?

He pulled a chair over to Summer and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Damn!" He jerked his hand back from the shock of despair.

Oh hell.

Gods damn it all.

Raven wouldn't have, would she?

Summer raised her head, eyes red and swollen. Qrow's heart sank and he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Yeah, she had.

Summer was behaving _far_ too similarly to after how Raven had been captured by Salem.

He steeled himself and pulled Summer into his arms, ignoring the depths of true despair that swept over him .She clung to his shirt and shook. What the hell had Raven been thinking, abandoning Summer like this? The fury bubbled but he shoved it down. Summer was more important than his own feelings at the moment. HE could bitch, yell, and curse his sister later.

"…What happened?" His voice barely reached above a breath. Right now, gentility was key. Summer was strong, yes, but she was still human in the end.

"Dunno… Just woke up when I heard Yang cry in the middle of the night and she was gone…" Summer curled in on herself and he pulled her into his lap fully. Raven had left without a word to Summer? That seemed very out of character for her but… She'd been out of character for the past year so, anything was possible at this point, he guessed…

He just placed a kiss on her head before looking down at her. "…What about Yang?" Raven abandoning her daughter felt so wrong… Sure, she and Tai had been shaky at best but to leave like this…

"…I'll raise her myself. I'll retire from being a Huntress. I know Ozpin needs my powers, but I think this is more important." Qrow found himself hardly disagreeing. Yeah, fighting Salem was important, but he already knew Summer wouldn't leave Yang. He still wasn't sure _what_ Summer and Raven's relationship was, but she was all Summer had left of her now. She wasn't about to throw that away.

"…Qrow, please don't go. I'll need all the help I can get." The unexpected request made him tense and the color drained from his face. Why was she asking? If he didn't know better, he would've thought she was mocking him. They both knew the truth… He didn't understand…

He pulled back and rested his hands on her shoulders, gaze downcast. "…Summer, you know I can't. My bad luck would just make things awful. Yang doesn't deserve that. You have Tai. Who knows; maybe you'll finally get your chance with him." Considering she'd be raising his daughter as her own, nothing felt impossible. Everything was upside down and he didn't know what reality was anymore.

She just looked down and he felt the abyss deepen. His heart constricted and he pulled away, throat knotting. It was just too much to stand.

"But she needs her uncle…"

"Summer, it won't work. We both know you never loved me." She flinched back and tears rolled down her cheeks as he mentally cursed himself. It was too damn early and he wasn't the type for this. Emotions were what Raven was for, not him.

He pushed himself off the chair and headed out the kitchen door. Without looking back, the small house soon disappeared beneath the forest canopy.

He had a report to make to Ozpin.

* * *

I know this might come across as unusually harsh especially for the situation and with Qrow's generally mellow personality. The main trouble with this bit is that I haven't had the proper time to show them bonding. There are just seven years of suppressed emotions coming to the forefront and Qrow just finally kinda reached his breaking point. Plus, he's spent nearly a year and a half watch his twin sister unravel and become increasingly belligerent about not trusting Ozpin. 


	23. Darkest Night - Jan 2144

Originally written for Flown North/Hummingbird Week 2k18 on Tumblr under the prompt "Misfortune."  
This isn't necessarily part of the Divide arc, but it falls in line with the time frame.  
Also, THIS ONE HURTS. IT REALLY HURTS.

* * *

Qrow shivered and pulled his coat tight around his shoulders, burying himself deeper in the hood. He barely made out the lights of the house out from the snow tempest, but he could've gotten there in a coma. He knew patch well enough by now even in these conditions. Sometimes, the Branwen upbringing had its upsides.

His stiff fingers graped the frigid key and he paused.

He really had no right to return. After how he'd treated her the last time they'd spoken, she'd probably still be pissed at him. Summer was sweet and kind, sure, but he knew she wasn't one to forgive easily. She'd probably forgiven Raven for leaving by now, but him? Yeah, he wouldn't be. He'd turned her away when she'd needed him most and hadn't said anything to her for damn near a year.

It was worse than what his sister had done really…

Sighing, he slid the key into the lock and started to open it, only to hear the sound of breaking pins.

Damn his Semblance.

He looked inside and saw Summer staring out the window at him, Battaglia's short speak in her hand. Her silver eyes shone in a clear threat, warning him not to come any further. He pulled the hood down and flinched at a particularly nasty gale that tore over him. Damn, he could use something warm to drink.

Thankfully, even in the night, Summer recognised him and pulled the door open. He fished his key out of the knob and gave a wry smile. "You're gonna have to fix that." His tone fell flat as she lowered her head and raised her shoulders. His heart dropped through the floor. He hadn't seen her like this since their early Beacon days.

Ignoring it, he closed the door and removed his sodden coat, wrapping an arm around her. He wince as a flurry of emotions assailed him. Despair, fear, isolation, loneliness, confusion… It was a powerful cocktail and he wasn't sure what to make of it. It was so similar to what she'd felt last time he'd—

 _Oh_ .

He pulled her over to the couch and she buried her face in his chest. He hesitated for a long moment before he pulled her hood down, running a hand through her hair. Tears poured down her cheeks as she clung to him. Her entire body shook and he did his best to ignore the waves of despair and desperation.

Ancestors, he should _never_ have left. Tai was a good man, but he didn't understand Summer like he did. He was kind of thick when it came to women to the point even _Qrow_ could hardly believe it.

"It'll be all right, Summer; I won't leave you this time." He barely breathed the words and she nodded. The child might not be his but… He'd do what he could. He'd still need to spy for Ozpin, but the man did have Team ORHD. They might not have magic, but they were more than skilled enough. Summer needed him _far_ more.

He left the thoughts to the side, though, and pulled her into his lap. She ragdolled against him. He just closed his eyes and bowed his head, still threading his fingers through her hair. What a fucking nightmare. First his sister, then the woman he loved…

He knew to expect the worst, but this was beyond anything he thought possible. He really was just a bad luck charm, wasn't he?


	24. Divide p7: All Our Days - Mar 2148

The knock on the front door rang through the silence. Summer and Tai exchanged glances. Who would visit them at eleven thirty? Qrow would visit at odd hours, sure, but he warned them. Nobody ever visited this late.

Summer nodded over toward the door and Tai answered. A blue-haired woman with a mace strapped to her back stood there and Summer's heart sank in her chest.

Hera.

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. She sat her book to the side, beckoning her old friend in. Hera sat on the couch and ran a hand through her hair. Her green eyes settled on Summer. "…I really hate to ask this of you, Summer, but…"

"Ozpin needs me, huh?" Hera's only response was a short nod. Summer let out a sigh, running her fingers through her hair.

It'd been six years since her last mission. She'd retired as a Huntress to raise Yang, only to have Ruby born shortly after. Her abilities had dampened over the years and she knew it. Ozpin would know too. If he had sent Hera, it meant bad things were brewing. Salem was up to something. She dreaded the thought of another mission, but it had to be important.

"Any reports of Silvia?" The thick silence answered the question. Salem's silver-eyed warrior. This was essentially a suicide mission. She squeezed her hands together, remembering the searing pain caused by the young woman's powers. She'd barely escaped unscathed. No, it wasn't essentially suicide; it _was_ suicide.

"…Give me about an hour and a half and then we can leave." Hera nodded and Summer headed up to her room. Composition notebooks, a music stand, and clothes lay strewn everywhere. She pushed the mess on the desk to the floor, opening the blue composition notebook. Her throat tightened as flipped past the tear-streaked lines of her last entry, but she ignored it.

It didn't take long for the words and notes to flow from her pen. The piece had rolled around her head for awhile, so she really was just recording it now. Since this very well was likely the last time she'd be on Patch, she wanted the girls to have something to them in particular.

She sat her pen down and glanced at the clock. Sixty minutes left. She returned to the song's first page in the upper left corner. _To my sweet, sweet daughters. I'll never leave you no matter what_. She'd fight death itself if she had to.

She flicked her scroll open and sat it on the desk, hitting the record button after grabbing Battaglia. Her lips quivered but she took in a breath. "Yang, Ruby, by time you see this… I'll probably be gone. I have a very dangerous mission I need to go on and I know I probably won't come back. My sweet girls, I'm so sorry I didn't get to say goodbye properly. I hope this song will offer you comfort in the years to come." She plucked one of the lyre strings and inhaled before singing.

" _Long ago, before we met, I dreamed about you…_ "

* * *

So I hope nobody got bored from the short, choppy sentences. I realise it's a pretty big departure from my usual writing style, but it was a very conscious stylistic choice. This is basically Summer's deathknell. It was meant to be short and punchy to invoke a sense of finality, dread, and anxiety.


	25. 23-3-48-0004-imsorryavi

I didn't have a choice, I did what I had to do / But, baby, please don't do what I did / I don't want you to waste your life in vain

* * *

 _Fri .2148 12:04 AM_

 _[the camera focuses on Summer sitting in a chair while still holding Battaglia's lyre form, a look of worry etched on her face]_

Girls, this is my final message to you. After All Our Days, I had a few more things I wanted to say…

 _[she pauses, hesitating, before taking in a breath]_

If you girls are anything like your parents, you'll probably want to become Huntresses which means you'll likely go to Beacon. I wanted to give you a few head's up before you do.

First: don't be surprised if the teachers bring up Team STRQ—especially me. We're considered the best team to pass through Beacon in the entire history. As for me… Well… I'm considered its best student. Hopefully it won't put any unreasonable expectations on you—especially Ruby—but I can't say for certain. I know better than anybody how teachers can be when they find a genius.

Second: be wary of Headmaster Ozpin. He's a good man with good intents at heart but he's…very complicated. I have no doubt he'll try to pull both of you close to him. You can trust him but do so with extreme caution. Especially you, Ruby. If you're anything like me… He'll take special interest in you. He'll mention your eyes if given the chance. If he does, be on guard. It's not something to take lightly. Just… Be careful of him.

 _[she sighs as she looks down at her hands, then back up at the camera as she starts crying]_

Girls, I'm so sorry this is my final message to you but… I have to go on this mission. I'm the only one that can potentially defeat the opponent we're up against. I love you both so, so much and wish nothing but the best for you. Tai will take good care of you in my absence.

I'm so proud of both of you. You're bright, strong, and resilient. You can withstand anything as long as you have each other.

Goodbye.

 _[she gives one last smile, tears trailing down her cheeks. She flashes a peace sign before the video turns off]_


	26. Cold - April 2148

I never thought  
You'd be taken away

Now it's cold without you here  
It's like winter lasts all year

So this chapter deals directly with Summer Rose's moment of death. Nothing is _super_ graphic since I'm squeamish and can't write gory detail to save my life. But just thought I'd give the heads up

Also, MeMe is pronounced "meh-meh" not "meem" since it's a nickname.

* * *

Pain ripped through Raven's body and she grabbed her knee, barely holding back a scream. Fire flared through her other one and she doubled over, hand across her mouth. Oh gods, this was it, wasn't it? She had shared in Summer's pains before, but it had never been like this. She wouldn't have—

Her left hand flew to her right elbow and she tumbled off her cot, curled into a tight ball. Shards of bone tore into muscle as her left elbow shattered as well. Her stomach heaved but she forced it back, trying to ignore her mind as she struggled to roll to her knees. It screamed about her broken joins, but she knew it was just an illusion. Fear flooded the roots of her hair, desperation tugging at her lungs as she coughed. Oh gods, Summer was drowning internally.

Raven staggered to her feet, nerves screaming over the shattered bones, but she braced herself. Shaking hands fumbled her sword from its sheath and she managed to open the portal, stumbling through. About a dozen men turned to face her and she heard a soft gasp from the ground. Her legs threatened to give out from under her and she heard a laugh.

"Seems like we'll be able to kill two birds with one stone here. Hard to believe you're the great Raven Branwen with how badly you're—" She didn't let the woman finish and drove her sword through her abdomen, slicing her cleanly in two. The halves fell to the ground with a thud. The other lackeys all paused and shifted as Raven turned her glare on them.

Even with as weak as she was, she made short work of them. Her life in the Branwen tribe had hardened her to even the worst pains, so she could fight under even the worst conditions. Of course, the sensation of blood slowly filling her lungs had made it more difficult than it should have been, but she still managed.

She could only collapse next to Summer afterward, continuing to shake. Her eyes blurred over when she saw her best friend's mangled body. Even though she'd felt the pain, it hadn't prepared her to actually see her twisted limbs at unnatural angles. Summer's breaths came in short, ragged gasps and Raven coughed, entire body wracking as she struggled to take in air herself. Summer's silver eyes focused despite the pain she was in. Her left hand twitched and Raven gently rested one palm against Summer's cheek.

"MeMe, I…" The tears spilled down her face and she rested their foreheads together. They coughed in tandem and Raven sat there for a few moments before pulling away. Her tears fell onto Summer's face, breaths growing ever shorter. She removed her hands from her cheeks and placed them over Summer's heart.

Despite everything, she felt an eerie calm sweep over her. Summer offered a weak smile and nodded. Even in all of this, she was trying to make it as easy on her as possible. Raven was used to killing but her best friend? It just…

Taking advantage of the calm, she summoned her aura to her hands. "...Thank you for loving Yang." Her voice was barely audible even to herself, but Summer nodded. Both women closed their eyes as the same time. With one sharp burst of aura, for the first time in around a decade, Raven felt nothing but her own despair and the pain receded. She felt Summer's head loll to the side and she doubled over, her cries echoing in the cold, spring night.

How long she cried, she wasn't sure. Minutes or hours, there was no telling. All she knew was that she felt empty and hollow despite feeling the Spring Maiden's powers flow through her body.

When she finally opened her eyes, Summer's smile greeted her. Even in death, she smiled. She'd been the light and heart of Team STRQ and now… She was dead. This was all Ozpin's fault. Fury tried to bubble in her chest, but the abyss in her heart absorbed the heat.

Raven forced herself to her feet and shouldered Summer's rifle, then picked up her cooling body. She started to walk aimlessly. She didn't know where she was going; all she knew was that she couldn't leave her there among Salem's men. After all she'd done, after all she'd sacrificed… She deserved so much better.

Morning broke and her shaking legs screamed at her. She glanced around and blinked, eyes one again bleary as a pink-petaled tree blocked out the rising sun. It shimmered in the pale sunlight and she sat Summer down.

This was the perfect place. To live short but brightly was the warrior's way. Nothing could be more perfect for her gentle best friend than the beautiful cherry blossoms.

She'd have to plant some rose bushes when she got the chance.


	27. The Last Rose of Summer - April 2148

So this is my first time writing Qrow. I hope it's all right.

* * *

Silence settled over him like a blanket of snow even though the spring sun warmed the small cliff on Patch. It had been one of her favorite places to bring the girls to look at the stars. He could still recall the nights he'd watch from the tree, completely unknown to them.

He took a swig from his flask and looked over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes. "You can't exactly hide in plain sight from me, Raven." How dare she. How dare she have the damn balls to show herself at Summer's funeral like some lost puppy. After leaving Yang with Tai without so much as a damn goodbye, she had no fucking right.

He put the flask back on his hip as his sister reverted to her human form and his eyebrows raised. She was clad in sky blue and crimson red, the traditional Branwen colors of mourning. Her normally long hair had been completely lopped off. Despite having sat in her bird form all day, her eyes betrayed how much she'd been crying. She was on week two of the Branwen mourning cycle just by her outfit, but how did she…? They'd only learned about Summer's death a few days ago.

Damnation.

"You…You buried her somewhere, didn't you?!" Rage colored his vision and his hand went for Harbinger, but he paused when he saw tears roll down her face. When was the last time he'd seen her cry? He had no love left for his older sister especially after she'd abandoned her own daughter but… This really wasn't the time or place for their vitriol. Right in front of Summer's grave after the memorial service…

Qrow sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking at her. "Could you show me where she's buried sometime?" He hated asking anything of his sister but…

"...Maybe when we're not in such a state." Raven's voice cracked and she coughed, rubbing the tears from her eyes. Damn, he really hadn't seen her this rough since they'd been kids. He knew she and Summer had been close, but to send her the route of structured Branwen mourning… He hadn't seen anybody but elders do it when he'd been with the tribe… Just how close had they been?

"I won't hold out hope." Qrow knew better than to trust anything his sister said by this point. If she wanted to keep Summer to herself, then she would.

His brows drew together, though, as a realisation hit him. "...Summer had to have been alive for you to use your Semblance. Were you the last person in her thoughts?" If so, then that meant…

The sound of wings broke the air and he swore. He could never get anything straight out of her no matter how much he wanted to.

With a sigh, Qrow plopped down onto the ground next to Summer's headstone, dipping back a few gulps of whiskey. "Sorry about that, Summer. I just can't forgive Raven after all the shit she's pulled. I know she was your best friend but…" He bowed his head and returned the flask to his hisp, resting his free hand on Summer's gravestone. This really was the end of Team STRQ… With the death of the heart came the death of the body.

Tai was one hell of a lucky man.

* * *

This is one of two companion pieces. The other one is the chapter titled Rose Petals. I'll explain the significance of the Branwen mourning traditions in the author's notes over there just so I have everything in one place


	28. Rose Petals - ?

Qrow let out an exasperated sigh when he felt his scroll vibrate. Who the hell would be messaging him? He was on a mission for Ozpin and everyone knew it, so it had better be something damned impor—

...Yeah, that was important enough to take a detour for.

* * *

He smoothed his hair over after walking out of the alley and made his way into the tailor's. A woman greeted him with a warm smile. "Good afternoon sir. What can I do for you?" Her soft, innocent blue eyes stabbed a knife into his chest, reminded him too much of the way Summer used to look at him. He shoved the thoughts away and forced himself back to the present.

"Custom order 38710." He really didn't have the patience or energy for anything else. Thankfully, the woman didn't seem to take any offense and nodded as she headed into the back. She returned a moment later, holding a bag out to him. He put three hundred lien on the counter, knowing it'd far exceed the cost. The woman's eyes widened and she opened her mouth, but he raised a hand. "Keep the change. Consider a tip or whatever." This was priceless to him anyway, so it didn't matter the cost.

"T-Thank you for your kindness, sir. I suppose I can consider it compensation for the difficulty in finding the fabric…" He just turned around and raised a hand before exiting the shop, heading to the nearby park. He sat on a bench and pulled out the bag's contents, tears running down his cheeks.

It was a short red cloak, hemmed by sky blue, a faint rim of pure white carefully laid over it.

He wasn't one to abide by Branwen tribal traditions anymore, but he'd be lying if he said this wouldn't bring him some comfort. He'd always have a piece of Summer with him. The woman had made all of Summer's cloaks, so he knew this would last a long time.

* * *

If I'm not mistaken, Qrow had his cloak even in the Team STRQ photo, but I like this headcanon. I haven't done much worldbuilding for the Branwen tribe, but I thought about a few details of the mourning process when the full ritual is being observed. There are several stages, each marked by special garments over a period of time as show in The Last Rose of Summer by Raven. Hair is also important to the Branwen tribe which is why her hair being cut is such a big deal. It's just not something you do unless there's a damn good reason for it.

The main thing, though, are the mourning colors. They're sky blue and crimson red. Blue for the sky which is freedom, red for the blood lost in death. Red is only worn in the tribe during ritualised mourning or by extremely skilled warriors (hence why Raven's canon outfit is red).

The observance Qrow is partaking in here is an alteration of a pretty big deal. If you plan to mourn somebody for a long period, then you wear blue on the right sleeve of your outfit as that is the direction of death. The white strip is actually very significant. If you wear the blue around your waist, you have to compliment it with a color as a testament to the person you plan to mourn. Doing this is also a pretty radical statement for a few reasons. First is that it's usually reserved only for spouses or lovers, though it's sometimes used for loss of a child or parent. Rarely ever is it used for mourning a friend, let alone somebody _outside_ of the tribe. The second reason is that, when used for lovers/spouses, it's a visual statement that the person won't marry/take another spouse/lover until they remove it from their outfit.

Raven also ends up partaking in this particular tradition.

If you subscribe to this story and are confused by a seeming lack of updates, it's because I moved the chapter to its proper chronological place. You can find the new chapter easily with the dash at the end from the dropdown menu. This mark will remain until the next update.


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